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Twenty20 World Cup begins
BBC Sport/Herald Reporter.
KINGSTON (Jamaica).
THE third ICC World Twenty20 tournament began in Guyana last night with Sri Lanka taking on New Zealand and underdogs Zimbabwe enjoying their place in the sun after an incredible show in the warm-up matches.
Defending champions Pakistan, who begin their campaign today, on the same day surprise qualifiers Afghanistan take on India in St Lucia, crashed to a shock defeat at the hands of a buoyant Zimbabwe on Thursday.
The Southern Africans, who came here as minnows, are now ranked as the most dangerous team among the underdogs after their sensational win over Australia in the other warm-up match.
The Zimbabweans are in a tough group, which includes New Zealand and Sri Lanka, but even if they lose, they have already made their mark as a team for the future.
Zimbabwe have always been a dangerous team in the short versions of the game, but many had been expecting them to be humiliated after a tough period at home, in which, the game faced a host of challenges.
But the Zimbabwean cricket authorities have been working hard to get things back on track and the team, under the guidance of a new coach, begins their campaign on Monday with a lot of hope.
England, the only major cricketing nation never to have won a global tournament, first play on Monday.
Australia are narrow favourites despite a late injury to paceman Brett Lee.
Both the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007 in South Africa, and last June’s follow-up in England, were generally regarded as successful tournaments.
By contrast, the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean, with half-full stadiums and various restrictions on fans, was a less joyous occasion.
But ICC President David Morgan has promised the upcoming tournament will be "a celebration of all that’s good about West Indies cricket." He added: "We’re encouraging the people of the Caribbean to bring their enthusiasm and passion for cricket to the matches and make it a memorable event for everyone involved.
"Bring your musical instruments, your songs and cheers, your flags, banners and colourful costumes. And, above all, bring that party spirit for which, cricket matches in the West Indies are famous."
Ireland reached the Super Eights last summer after beating Bangladesh, but have been less than convincing in their two warm-ups in the West Indies, losing to New Zealand and Afghanistan.
Coach Phil Simmons said: "Two days doesn’t change anything. I think it’s a case of us making sure that mentally we get prepared for what is the biggest game since we’ve been on this tour.
"I think the guys are capable of doing that. We’ve had two bad days, but two bad days don’t make a summer, as they say. I think we still have the desire to come on Friday (yesterday) and perform."
England go into the tournament on the back of warm-ups wins against Bangladesh and South Africa, though the new top-order pairing of Michael Lumb and Craig Kieswetter is yet to fire.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan nevertheless holds out hope for Paul Collingwood’s men.
He said: "This is the first time I have got excited about the England squad coming into the T20 World Cup. For the first time we have guys in the batting with power from one to seven.
"Maybe we’re a little bit inexperienced in the bowling department, but I think it’s the batting which has let us down in the past.
"We have had guys who have played in the Indian Premier League — which is a big plus to a team going into a tournament like this. I would be disappointed if we don’t put up some kind of fight."
Meanwhile, the West Indies coach, former England bowling coach Ottis Gibson, has come under fire from Caribbean legend Sir Viv Richards.
Recalling Gibson’s laid-back behaviour during the second and final Test of the Barbadian’s career, which the West Indies lost to South Africa in Cape Town in 1999, Sir Viv said: "I always remember the West Indies losing in South Africa.
"I saw Ottis Gibson with his two feet on the balcony, earphones in. West Indies were just about to go down the chute — and he was having fun, where the music was concerned.
"That has left an impression on me, seeing him in the present position he is now."
The tournament is split into four groups of three with the top two teams in each group qualifying for the Super Eights.
The semi-finals take place in St Lucia on May 13 and 14 and the final in Barbados on May 16.
The early stages of the women’s tournament takes place in St Kitts. — BBC Sport/Herald Reporter. |
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