Who would have thought a leg-spinner would bowl the first ball of the World Cup, and that too in England. In the previous 11 editions, never had a spinner begun the tournament until the South African captain Faf du Plessis gave the ball to Imran Tahir. He met with instant success when he got rid of Jonny Bairstow with his second delivery. Tahir, 40, thus has become some sort of a flag-bearer for the spinners club in this World Cup, showing that they will have a huge role to play even in English conditions. However, being the lone spinner in the South African XI, he feels the need for a spinning partner at the other end. He believes that like pace bowlers, the spinners too hunt in pairs.

"I always like to see two spinners going. It's always good to have support at the other end. But obviously, it would be a tough call in England. I know even though it's the second game on the same pitch, it's obviously the selector and the captain who have to decide what combination they would like to see, considering the team balance. But as a spinner, I like to see two spinners playing in the game," the Pakistan-born leg-spinner said.