The ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 is officially up and running as the Film Shed in London’s trendy east end played host to the official captain’s media launch of the 2019 tournament on Thursday afternoon.
With hosts England kicking off the tournament in exactly a week’s time at the Oval against South Africa, the time for talking is almost over.
Here are the glimpses from the gathering:
Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib
- "There will be a huge audience at home in all the different provinces. Cricket is not just a sport now, in Afghanistan it has become something else."
Australia captain Aaron Finch
- “Once it gets underway, particularly against England, and further on for the Ashes, the crowd will play a part but that is expected everywhere in the world."
Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza
- “Cricket is a game that anyone on their day can beat anybody. If we start well we can hang in there."
England captain Eoin Morgan
- "These are the ten best teams in the world, it will be extraordinarily competitive
and some quality cricket will be played so we are really looking forward to it."
India captain Virat Kohli
"All the teams so strong and well balanced and the fact we have to play everyone once, I think this will be the most competitive World Cup that anyone will have seen.”
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson
- "There has been a lot of talk about rankings, favourites, underdogs but what stands out is how balanced it is. Which means anything can happen on the day which is so exciting."
Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed
- “Since winning the World Cup in 1992, making the final in 1999 here in England, then Champions Trophy in 2017, we go well in England so we are confident we will do well and challenge.”
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis
- “We are all really excited to try out this new tournament, to play every once I think is great."
Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne
- “We have great experience in England, we came here early to get used to the conditions and we are in good shape, hoping to do our best."
West Indies captain Jason Holder
- “To play every side is great for us. We worked hard with the qualifiers to get here, that means it is the top ten in the world, we want to play them all and give ourselves a shot... The team that wins will definitely deserve it."
