Sport | Cricket
Adapting to the situation is the key
We can't wait for the semifinal. We may have lost twice to the Chennai Super Kings in the group stages but that counts for nothing now.
- Special to Gulf News
- Published: 23:48 May 30, 2008
We can't wait for the semifinal. We may have lost twice to the Chennai Super Kings in the group stages but that counts for nothing now.
We have grown in confidence right throughout the tournament and we have the talent and experience to deliver in a big game. In the end, the side that handles the pressure of the tight match-turning moments will probably win.
We have actually seen this throughout the tournament. There have been lost of close games during the last six weeks and a large number of last over finishes. It is therefore no surprise that the four qualifying teams for the semifinals have all reacted well to the pressure situations they have faced along the way. We are approaching the game in exactly the same way as our other matches. We don't need to put on any extra pressure on ourselves because this is a semifinal. The key will be staying relaxed and going out there to enjoy ourselves. It is very important to have fun playing cricket and we need to keep doing that.
Prepared
We have done well thus far because we have the little things right when it matters most.
We all know our specific roles within the team and I think we have handled ourselves well during key match situations.
We have prepared thoroughly and worked really hard to be consistent in implementing our gameplans. Our final group game win against the Rajasthan Royals should stand us in good stead. We did not mind who we played in the semifinals but we wanted to go into the final weekend with the best preparation possible. We wanted to win and we won convincingly.
It was the perfect way to end the round-robin stage.
Pitch
The return of Kumar (Sangakkara) from injury has balanced up the team nicely and it's been great to see him click immediately back into his best form. With Shaun (Marsh) continuing his brilliantly consistent form at the top, plus James (Hopes) and Yuvi in excellent touch, our top order has a solid feel.
The last time we played in Mumbai against the Mumbai Indians the pitch was pretty flat, good for batting with a little bit of spin. Hopefully, we'll get a similar surface. But whatever the conditions are, the key is how you adapt. We must assess the conditions and react accordingly.
Again, this is something that we have done well thus far.
- Gameplan
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