Cricke-ting minnows Canada are aiming to win at least two games and causing an upset in the group stage to accomplish their dream of qualifying for the World Cup quarter-final.
‘We discussed our expectation and goal as a team internally. We talked about getting into the second round, wins against Zimbabwe, Kenya and an upset of any of the other four teams are our team goal,’ captain Ashish Bagai told a press conference in Dhaka on Thursday.
‘If we don’t have that I don’t think there is any point in coming into the World Cup,’ he said.
Canada are in Group A along with Sri Lanka, Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Kenya in the 14-nation February 19-April 2 tournament to be hosted jointly by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
The young and multi-cultural side, having players of seven different nationalities that they have brought in the sub-continent, are capable of surprising any team, said their New Delhi-born captain Bagai.
The Canadian captain said they have a decent attack in Henry Osinde and Khurram Chohan, who will spearhead the attack, while John Davison brings some much-needed experience at the top of the order.
‘Also we have got some young guys this time around. We have three Under-19s (Hiral Patel, Ruvindu Gunasekera and Nitish Kumar) at the top of the order of batting, they are a little bit inexperienced but very exciting players.
‘And then we have Rizwan Cheema in the middle of the order. He has done very well for us in the last couple of year and you know those guys will have some responsibility,’ Bagai said.
As a team their best success in the same tournament came when they had defeated Bangladesh in 2003, a win they still savour.
‘For Canada it was a very special match, our first win in an ODI and in the World Cup. I myself and John Davison made all three World Cups and we always remember that match,’ said Bagai.
After warm-up games against Bangladesh on Feb 12 and England four days later, the Canadians open their campaign against Sri Lanka at the new Mahinda Rajapakshe International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota on Feb 20.
‘The new stadium in Sri Lanka added another element of uncertainty to the game against the co-hosts,’ Bagai said.
‘It’s a new venue, even they don’t know what to expect, so it’s going to be tough…If we can get through couple of their bowlers we have a good chance,’ he added.
