Nagpur: Having won the last three T20 international series, India will start their campaign in ICC World T20 tournament against New Zealand at Nagpur on Tuesday as hot favourites. Speaking about the favourites tag, Virat Kohli said since India have been playing good cricket in the recent past and being the hosts and knowing the home conditions well, it was but obvious that people would expect them to reach far in the tournament.

“We are obviously favourites in our own minds – if we aren’t then there is no chance of progressing in the tournament,” Kohli said, according to BCCi.tv.

“We are very confident with the way we have been playing. We have won 10 out of the 11 last games we have played in the recent times. We are taking some good momentum in to the World Cup," said the batsman at a media briefing on match eve, adding, “The Asia Cup was a good preparation for us for a big tournament. We got the feel of playing against the big teams. But this is going to be far more challenging because there will be teams from all over the world competing here."

“The important thing is to focus on every game, because in this tournament if your focus wavers, the game moves so quickly that making comebacks becomes very difficult, as a batsman, as a bowler or as a team, all three,” he said.