World Cup
Graeme Smith said in an interview that the South African team has come to India with a lot of confidence and aspirations and that he believed that the team could win the World Cup if the South African team peak’s at the right time.
Smith who took over the South African team at the age of 22, just after their World Cup debacle of 2003, would be giving up his one-day captaincy after the World Cup .
He further said that he was confident of his youngsters and it was indeed needed to show faith in the side so that they can play to their fullest potential. Speaking on Jacques Kallis Smith said that it would be necessary for them to use Kallis appropriately, as the World’s top ranked all-rounder was a great asset to the team.
However the 35 year cricketer has not yet rehabilitated from his side injury, it is not yet sure whether he shall be able to play South Africa’s first warm-up game against Zimbabwe on the 12th of February.
South Africa play their second warm-up match on the 15th against Australia, after which they play their first World Cup match on the 24thagainst West Indies. Smith said that he was happy with the three spinners available to him and believes that his team will be thrilled to win the tournament for the first time in a region which is very passionate about cricket.
Meanwhile Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan said that his team too would be very happy to repeat their performance of 1996. Speaking about the past, he says that winning the 1996 World Cup was the happiest day of his life. In 2003 Sri Lanka reached the Semi-finals while in 2007 they reached the finals. Thus Sri Lanka has had a good team in the past fifteen years and Murali hopes that they can convert their potential to tangible proportions.
Talking on the new pitches laid down in the Premadasa as well as the two new stadia in Sri Lanka, Murali said that they did not have any advantages as the pitches were as much unknown to them as others.
Murali who shall be retiring after this World Cup from ODI-cricket as well will be hoping that he can end his career on a high. However his greatness shall always remain unshed, whether Sri Lanka wins the World Cup or not.
Tags: Cricket, Graeme Smith, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Muttiah Muralitharan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, World Cup
