Tags:
Journalism of Courage
MUMBAI, MARCH 20: Besides India, Pakistan and South Africa are the other two teams in the fray.
Speaking to reporters before the departure of the Indian team, which left along with the South Africans to Sharjah here on Monday, Ganguly, said “the team is combining very well and I am sure we will perform to the best of our ability specially after the recent success in the one-dayers.
“Every player has performed to the best of his abilites in the recent series which is a very good sign and there is no reason why we cannot do well in the future assingments,” he added.
“However, we cannot take our opponents lightly as we all know Pakistanis are real fighters especially when they play against us and the South Africans can bounce back from any situation as they proved in Faridabad and Nagpur,” said the Bengal southpaw.
“Our team is a mixture of youth and experience and every member stands to gain from this tour and I am confident that the tournament would be interesting,” Ganguly added.
The Indian team coach and former skipper, Kapil Dev, who let his captain do most of the talking, said the Indian team may turn a new chapter with this series and was confident of his boys doing well.
South African skipper Hansie Cronje, whose side beat India 2-0 in the Test series but failed to win the one-day series, said that he was looking forward to playing at Sharjah despite injuries to their key players-allrounders Lance Klusener (ankle) and Henry Williams (shoulder) and fast bowler Mornantau Hayward (stomach muscle).
“It should be a closely fought series as we know what the Indians and Pakistanis are capable of doing on helpful pitches. The one-day series which India won 3-2 was very keenly contested and I expect the Sharjah tourney also to be a close one,” he added.
The South African skipper said a spate of injuries to some key players has not helped their cause.
“Fast bowler Makhaya Ntini would be joining us at Sharjah and I also hope that the injured players would be fit before the tournament starts,” he added.
India will play South Africa in the opening game on March 22 and the Pakistanis on the following day.
THE SCHEDULE
March 22: India vs South Africa
March 23: India vs Pakistan
March 24: Pakistan vs South Africa
March 25: Rest Day.
March 26: India vs Pakistan
March 27: India vs South Africa
March 28: Pakistan vs South Africa
March 29 and 30: Rest Days
March 31: Final.
