Published: Feb 28, 2015, 12:05 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 09, 2015, 01:29 PM (IST)
Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura’s talks about his team’s World Cup 2015 match against Pakistan on Sunday. (ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Full coverage)
Q: How are you feeling before tomorrow’s match against Pakistan?
Elton Chigumbura (EC): At the moment, everyone is ready to go. We’ve had a couple of days to work on our mistakes that we did last game. We’re now looking forward to this game coming up.
Q: Your batsmen are scoring runs while Pakistan is struggling with batting and bowling. Do you think this your best chance against them? A place in the quarterfinals is up for grabs, so this game is exceedingly important, right?
EC: What’s important for us is make sure we polish things up where we’re going wrong — which is on our bowling. The last couple of overs at the death, and the main focus is on our game. Obviously, we have to carry on with the form with the bat, and hopefully we can cover all the bases from batting, bowling, and fielding.
Q: You’re posting some quite high scores, and typically over the tournament a lot of teams are placing high scores. How are the pitches out there for batters compared to bowlers?
EC: Yeah, the pitches have been good. Obviously, if you apply yourself and if you’re positive, it’s actually working for us. It’s just a matter of if you work hard first up, and when you get in there good wickets to bat. So we just as a team, we’re confident with our batting. We just need to sort out our bowling at the end.
Q: Dave Whatmore previously coached Pakistan team. So how much will it be a benefit for you that he knows the Pakistan team’s strengths and weaknesses?
EC: He knows almost everyone on the team, so when it comes to strategies and stuff, it’s much better to have someone who has been working with Pakistan guys. So we’ve got more information. We just have to go and execute our plans tomorrow.
Q: Toss has been very vital in this tournament so far. Usually teams winning the toss are opting to bat first. How are you looking at the toss for tomorrow’s game?
EC: At the end of the day it’s not about the toss, it’s about any team that plays good cricket on the day. If you bat first, if you score runs, you can put pressure on the other team and vice versa. It’s just similar to playing good cricket on a day. You can’t guarantee winning the toss, so we just have to play our best cricket on a day.
Q: Elton, do you feel now you’re obviously on a world stage and a lot of people won’t have had the chance to see Zimbabwe play in recent times, do you think you’ve surprised one or two?
EC: I’m sure some people were surprised about the way we approached this tournament. As a team, we believe that if we play our best cricket and if we express ourselves, then we’ll be competitive and given a chance, we’ll win games. At the moment, the vibe on the team is very good. We’re taking one game at a time, and hopefully tomorrow it will be a good one.
Q: I watched the entirety of your net session yesterday. You’re putting in the hard yards. Is that something Whatmore has engrained to you as a team since coming in as head coach?
EC: He’s brought a lot of positives into the team, and everyone is comfortable in the way he’s sharing his experience, it’s been good. Everyone just wants to express themselves and play the best cricket that they’re capable of. Hopefully we can play good cricket as a team. The most important thing to play as a team, not just as individuals.
Q: The two matches I’ve watched one in Hamilton and one in Canberra. One aspect of your play was probably highlighted and that is the death bowling. Is that something you’ve worked hard on? Have you started figuring out plans for your bowlers?
EC: The last couple of days we’re worked hard on finishing off with the ball. Hopefully tomorrow we can execute our plans. Obviously it was a big concern looking at the games that we’ve played and where we didn’t bowl well. So hopefully tomorrow it will be another better performance.
Q: We’ve seen also in some of your bowler’s celebrations that expressive nature of playing and that freedom. Is that something you’re trying to bring out on your side to allow them that freedom to express themselves?
EC: That’s true. If you put the freedom in the team, then you tend to be relaxed and you can execute. At the end of the day it’s about also enjoying the game.
Q: What about your reactions when you see your bowlers doing that sort of thing? Do you have a wry smile or do you just have to concentrate on it as captain?
EC: Obviously, you need to enjoy the moments, moments like that at the highest stage, it’s something that you can always look back and say that you enjoyed that moment. So, yeah, it’s also about enjoying the occasion.
Q: I know you probably will play this down. Should you win tomorrow, then Group B is wide open. And there are two teams you would argue prior to the start of the World Cup that may be a surprise in the quarter-finals — Zimbabwe and Ireland. Do you look ahead at all and think that that could be the match that actually decides who goes through?
EC: I think tomorrow’s most important game for us. If we play our best cricket, hopefully, we’ll come up on the winning side. I think it’s up to whoever wants it the most, and I’m sure guys are looking forward to tomorrow, and we’re going to give our best. Hopefully we’ll be on the winning side.
Q: Do you feel just finally that Pakistan are there for the taking? They’ve had a struggle against India and the West Indies. Do you think now is a good time to play them?
EC: Obviously we are going to approach this game and try to win, but for us, we’re going to come out and play our best cricket and you never know what happens on the day. The good thing about this game is the team that plays good cricket on the day, so hopefully we’ll be the ones playing good cricket tomorrow.
Q: Have you looked at the wicket and any thoughts on team composition for tomorrow’s match?
EC: It’s a good wicket. Doesn’t matter whether you bowl first or bat first I think it’s going to stay the same. It’s going to be a good game, hopefully. Yeah, hopefully we’ll play our best cricket.
Q: Did you watch yesterday’s game in Sydney, and how much pleasure does it give you seeing West Indies getting a dose of their own medicine?
EC: No, that’s cricket. Sometimes the good thing, like I said, you can’t rely on your reputation. It’s about you don’t relax. In this tournament, it’s about keeping and staying positive, and staying on top of your game as a team. If you relax, it might cost you to go to the next stage. So it’s all about staying focused, yeah.
Q: A lot of talk has been about the associate nations in the next World Cup in 2019. What your thoughts? The talk of reducing it to 10 teams rather than the way it is now, would that be sad?
EC: It will be, but we’ve got the chance maybe to force them to change those decisions if we play well and go to the next stage. Looking at the associates, they’re doing well, so, yeah, if they carry on doing well with what they’ve been doing, and hopefully they can force them to change those decisions when it comes to reducing teams for the World Cup.
Courtesy: ICC
