Joe Root has insisted that England are ready for the World Cup and cannot wait to take on the challenge of co-hosts Australia in Melbourne on Saturday.

Eoin Morgan's side have been in preparation mode for the tournament since November, although they lost their final warm-up game to Pakistan this morning.

Yorkshire batsman Root made 85 off 89 balls in the four-wicket defeat in Melbourne and feels in good form ahead of their opening match against the old enemy.

"I actually feel really good," Root told reporters. "I know I've not really put many performances in but my game feels in a really good place at the minute.

"It's quite exciting that Saturday is just around the corner and I'm really looking forward to that. We're ready now. We're fed up of waiting around.

"We want to get cracking. We want Saturday to come and we want to surprise people. We want to put in that performance that gets us a win and take on that 90,000 at the MCG."

Root has also backed Morgan to rediscover his form after a lean spell in the build-up to the World Cup.