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Driven by fear Semifinal defeat unimaginable for India against KenyaPosted: Tuesday March 18, 2003 8:19 AMDURBAN (Reuters) -- No team playing in a World Cup semifinal could ever be described as being in a no-win situation but India may feel it will come close to it against Kenya on Thursday. Fear of defeat, indeed, might be as strong a motivation as India's desire to contest its first final since 1983. Saurav Ganguly's side knows it simply cannot afford to lose. Its fans, who have already shown how volatile they can be during this tournament, would never forgive it. The Kingsmead day-nighter should be no contest. India, with Sachin Tendulkar in ominous form and its three-pronged pace attack as confident as it has been impressive, has won seven matches in a row. Kenya is among its victims. An eighth consecutive win would equal India's record. Kenya, meanwhile, is a non-test side full of 30-somethings, none of whom would get in the India starting lineup. Good fortune, enthusiasm and a couple of fine performances have taken them to the last four but it would unthinkable for the east Africans to reach the tournament climax. "Playing Kenya is better than facing any other side," India captain Saurav Ganguly said. "But we want to be up for the game because Kenya have surprised quite a few teams." Earlier in the tournament Tendulkar called on Indian fans to have patience after they pelted batsman Mohammad Kaif's house with paint and burnt an effigy of Ganguly following the team's mediocre start to the tournament. Another doubt There will be another doubt lurking at the back of Indian minds. The Indian cricket board attempted without success to convince World Cup organizers to reschedule the semifinal as a day game, arguing that the toss had already had a big influence on previous Cup day-nighters in Durban. Almost all of the matches under lights at Kingsmead and at Newlands in Cape Town had led to teams winning the toss going on to win the game after batting first. India broke that trend by beating Kenya in Cape Town in their first day-night confrontation on March 7 despite losing the toss. But it was given a few scares on the way as it was reduced to 23 for three in reply to Kenya's 225 for six before Ganguly produced a well-constructed century. Kenya gave world champion Australia a similar scare at the same venue Saturday after batting first, again in a day-nighter. Aasif Karim, a 39-year-old left-arm spinner back from retirement and without a wicket in his previous two matches in the World Cup, looked a world-beater in the evening conditions as he took three for seven in 8.2 overs. Kenyan hopes India, though, which won the World Cup in 1983, knows deep down it should reach the final again after missing out at the same stage in 1987, against England, and in 1996, against eventual winner Sri Lanka. It has only lost to Kenya twice in 11 one-day meetings. Kenya coach Sandeep Patil -- coincidentally a member of India's 1983 Cup winning squad -- retains hopes of an upset, however. "We are confident of doing well if we stick to the basics," he said. "Every batsman, even Tendulkar, is weak around the off-stump. If our bowlers show discipline, and fielding well, anything can happen." Kenya opener Ravindu Shah also helped boost its collective confidence with as good as display against Australia strike bowler Brett Lee as anyone has produced at the World Cup. His 46, compiled after Lee had sent Kennedy Otieno to hospital and taken a hat-trick to reduce Kenya to three for three, oozed class. Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
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