DHAKA, OCT 31: The West Indians will be playing their third match in four days but still love the very thought of playing in the summit clash of the Wills Mini-World Cup against South Africa at the Bangabandhu Stadium tomorrow.Brian Lara's brief tenure as the team skipper has given a new dimension to the team. For long down, cricket in the West Indies has only to look up now. That's why the team needs the title so desperately.
The team has come through a relatively tougher half of the draw. They bat local favourites Pakistan and India quite convincingly and with the new-found self-belief, they will gun for their opponents tomorrow.
As for South Africa, they deserve to be here for the sheer commitment the team has shown despite missing four of their stalwarts. No team could afford to miss Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener and Gary Kirsten and Hansie Cronje's men start favourites.
For the Dhakaites, it has been a disappointment as neither of their favourite teams, India and Pakistan, as wellas the third team from the sub-continent, Sri Lanka, are in the final but aggressive cricket is on the cards.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.