While most are hailing tomorrow's semi-final as a mere formality for the mighty Lankans, Ross Taylor has said that New Zealand enjoyed the underdog tag often associated with them
While most are hailing tomorrow's semi-final as a mere formality for the mighty Lankans, Ross Taylor has said that New Zealand enjoyed the underdog tag often associated with them.
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Over the years, Kiwis have been active guinea pigs or stepping stones for sides that have eventually won World Cups. Be it in 1992 when Inzamam-ul-Haq's cult classic upset them in their own backyard; or in 1999 when Saeed Anwar left them high and dry at Manchester; or in 2007 when Mahela Jayawardene and Muttiah Muralitharan didn't give them a chance to compete.
Taylor wants his side to do what the past New Zealand sides haven't ufffd reach the grand finale. "We are proud of our history of making it to six semi-finals. I can assure you that this team is not satisfied with just a semi-final berth. We want to go one step further. We strongly believe that we can do that on Tuesday," Taylor said at P Sara Oval yesterday.
Taylor admitted that hosts Sri Lanka would expect to beat them easilyu00a0 and that it could backfire. "Over the years, whenever we have played, we have been the underdogs. To be honest, it is something we enjoy because oppositions expect to beat us easily," he said.
New Zealand lost to Sri Lanka in the group match at the Wankhede Stadium earlier this month, and Taylor reckons that would hold his side in good stead ahead of tomorrow's clash.
"We have an advantage in that we have already played them in a pool game. Sure, we lost, but there are lessons to be learnt from that game. Hopefully, we will rectify those mistakes come Tuesday. Also, having John (Wright) and Allan (Donald) in the coaching staff has been a boon. We want to make them proud."
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