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Star batter Virat Kohli showed his excitement ahead of India’s opening match of the Champions Trophy 2025 against Bangladesh. The 36-year-old mentioned the importance of the tournament and how it is like a reward for the participating teams for playing consistent cricket in the ODI format. Notably, Kohli was a part of the Indian team that won the Champions Trophy in 2013, and was also the captain in the 2017 edition leading Men in Blue to the final.
India are set to face Bangladesh to begin their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 20. Ahead of India’s opening clash, Virat Kohli mentioned why he likes this tournament so much. “The tournament is happening after a long time. It represents consistency as you have to be in the top eight of the rankings to qualify. The level of competition in always good,” Kohli said in his interview with Star Sports.
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Champions Trophy creates pressure of T20 World Cup in ODI format: Virat Kohli
Speaking further, Virat Kohli also mentioned how the Champions Trophy give the same pressure like the T20 World Cup as the teams get less matches in the league stage that creates more pressure to qualify for the knockout stages. India are scheduled to play Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand in their league matches of the Champions Trophy 2025 respectively.
‘It ODI format, it (Champions Trophy) creates the pressure of a T20 World Cup. There you also have three or four games in the league stage. If you don’t start well, you are under pressure. The pressure is from the first game itself and that is why I like it, you have to be at your best from game one,” Virat Kohli said.
