Dumped out of the 2007 World T20 after losing only one match to India, SA coach Mickey Arthur promises revenge when the two teams clash again in the Super Eight stage of the 2009 edition
Dumped out of the 2007 World T20 after losing only one match to India, SA coach Mickey Arthur promises revenge when the two teams clash again in the Super Eight stage of the 2009 edition
South Africa have proved to be magnanimous hosts but the Indian cricket team should not be under the impression that the benevolence will stretch on to the field of play when the two sides are likely to clash in Super Eight phase the ICC World Twenty20 in England next month.
In fact, coach Mickey Arthur has vowed revenge on Mahendra Singh Dhoni's side for putting them out of the competition in 2007.
The SA team is still smarting from the humiliation inflicted on them by the Indian team in front of their home crowd at Durban, where they were beaten by 37 runs in a crucial Group E league encounter. SA was the in-form team of the inaugural championship, having won all their matches up to that stage.
Arthur remembers that match as though it happened only yesterday. "I still feel slightly aggrieved at having gone out of the 2007 tournament. To be honest we were the best side in that tournament along with India. We only lost one game and got bundled out before the semi-final stage. So, it still does rankle me. We go in India's group in the Super Eight and I am really looking forward to that game against India again. Obviously India put us out of the tournament last time, so we have a point to prove," Arthur, who is based in East London, told MiD DAY yesterday.
Rank outsiders, Dhoni's young team went on to win the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship. This time, however, Arthur is confident of putting it across India.
"We respect India greatly. They are a fantastic team. But if all of our players perform to the best of their ability, we will be fine against them," said Arthur, as he prepared to leave for the ICC cricket meeting in London, where he represents the international coaches on the ICC panel.
Arthur is in an advantageous position given that all the India T20 squad members are currently playing the IPL in SA and the coach can sit back and analyse each one's game and plot his moves his accordingly.
"I have been studying all the Indian players very closely. I've got my fingers on the pulse here," admitted Arthur.
However, the Proteas coach knows he cannot take anything for granted against the defending champions.
"India are looking very good. All their players are playing in the IPL, they have a lot of options like us. They have the flexibility. India has improved their fielding too of late but their strength remains their batsmen Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, etc. You have some fantastic batsmen there, who can score very, quickly," Arthurt signed off.
