We can: Lara

BARODA: West Indies captain Brian Lara believes his team is a serious contender to win the World Cup, which will be held in its own backyard in March-April. On the eve of the fourth one-dayer against India at the IPCL ground here, Lara said: “A lot of people don’t give us a chance. Some think we are unpredictable. But I seriously think that we have a team that can reach the last four stage of the World Cup. From then on, it is a knock-out round - it could be anybody’s game. There is a feeling of great optimism. The build-up has been very good. Having said that, presently, only Australia can safely bet on their reaching the final four stage.”

Lara knows that for performing well in the toughest one-day competition, his team needs to tighten up on a few areas. “We need more match-winners. Players like Marlon Samuels and Devon Smith need to win us more games.” What gives the Prince of Trinidad heart is the way his team has performed against India in the on-going ODI series. “I was pleased with the way our guys competed with India right from the first one-dayer. At Chennai, we were out of the game after the first 10 overs, but showed a lot of character to claw our way back in an emphatic way. We are a team that wins, or loses too easily. I wanted to our boys to show more fight, and they have done exactly that,” the legendary batsman said.

Before arriving in India, Lara didn’t look too happy with the timing of this series. On Tuesday, Lara sang a different tune. “We want to win this series and take psychological advantage into the World Cup, where we may meet India in the next round. We want to keep that edge that we have had over them in recent times. This series has held its own. It has been important to us, since we play next only against Pakistan in our first game in the World Cup.”

This was Lara’s last visit to India as a player and the classy left-hander chose the right words to summarise his association with the cricket-mad nation. “I enjoyed my time in India. I first came here in 1984 with the Trinidad and Tobago Schools Cricket team. It is nice to be in a country where cricket is the number one sport. Cricket is what it is all about in India. I am definitely going to be back, as someone who loves the country.”

Lara has played five World Cups in his 16 year-old glittering career. Didn’t he ever feel he was going to win one? “Yes, when were cruising along against Australia in the semifinal before collapsing to lose that game.” Like Sachin Tendulkar, Lara looks desperate to aquire the only trophy missing in his cabinet.