Canada game has given us momentum
We've had a gentle start to our 2011 World Cup campaign and the guys are really excited about Saturday's big game with Pakistan. Our first match against Canada could not have gone much better and it gave us that early momentum that is always useful.
- Kumar Sangakkara
- Updated: February 25, 2011 06:53 PM IST
We've had a gentle start to our 2011 World Cup campaign and the guys are really excited about Saturday's big game with Pakistan. Our first match against Canada could not have gone much better and it gave us that early momentum that is always useful.
I was really impressed with all aspects of that game in Hambantota. We built partnerships and paced the innings well. The bowlers hit the right areas from the very first ball and then maintained that discipline to the end. And the fielding, a couple of lapses aside, was fine.
We returned by helicopter to Colombo on Monday and had a couple of relatively relaxed days. After quite a congested few weeks in the build-up, including domestic and warm-up games, it's been nice to slow things down a little to keep ourselves relaxed and fresh as we prepare for a big week.
Things get tougher, of course, on Saturday with our game against Pakistan. No matter what has happened off the field over the past few months, they remain one of the most dangerous opponents in the world. I've played them enough times to know just how difficult they can be to beat.
People have been talking up India, South Africa, Australia, England and us, but Pakistan also have the potential to be real contenders for this tournament. They have a really good balance in their team and they'll be very comfortable playing in Asian conditions.
I watched some of their game against Kenya and they looked in pretty good shape. I thought Shahid Afridi bowled well and their pace attack looks good. They might be inconsistent, but they have some genuine quality there.
The secret to playing a team like Pakistan is that the basics have to be executed in a very solid manner. We need to be organized and disciplined in our approach. The batsmen need to focus on partnerships, the bowlers need to work on their penetration and there needs to be some top-class fielding.
We respect Pakistan, but we also have self-belief in our own game. It has been a long road to this World Cup and many hundreds of hours of preparation have gone into getting us where we are today. We are ready. We are confident. And we are excited by the prospect of a really challenging game in front of a full house.