ICC World Cup 2019 | It means a lot to get a player like Virat Kohli out, says Moeen Ali

England are currently in a do-or-die situation after losing two back-to-back games against Sri Lanka and Australia. They need to win their next two games against the heavyweights India and New Zealand to keep their semi-finals hopes alive. They need to bring their A game out and beat India on Sunday to keep their semi-finals hopes alive and in order to achieve that, the Virat Kohli threat has to be nullified as early as possible. All-rounder Moeen Ali has stated that it means a lot to get a player like him out and shall try his best to do so. 

"Virat knows he’s there to score runs for India, while I’m here to get him out (or score some myself). It means a lot to get a player like him out but you can still be friends trying to do it,” wrote Ali in his blog for The Guardian.

Ali has got the better of Kohli on six occasions across formats and has been effective against him. He also spoke about the pressure India will undergo in the high-voltage encounter as the expectations from India are very high. 

“The pressure of being the home side shouldn’t be a factor. Our next opponent, India, are a good reminder of this because we don’t have to deal with nearly the same amount of expectation as they do. They are superstars back home. Win and they are showered with praise, lose and they are on the receiving end of harsh criticism. And they aren’t able to lead everyday lives when they’re not playing because of the attention they receive,” Ali wrote.