Taibu confident of Zim Twenty20 success
Written by SPORTS REPORTER
Friday, 09 April 2010 13:16
JOHANNESBURG - Zimbabwe looks to build on the experience gained during a February tour of West Indies to beat both Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Group B of the International Cricket Council World Twenty20 2010 in Guyana next month, star player Tatenda Taibu has said. (Pictured: Tatenda Taibu)
Zimbabwe lost the five-match ODI series 4-1 but most importantly it defeated the West Indies by 26 runs in a low-scoring T20I match in Trinidad on 28 February – a result that Taibu says will give his side cause when they face Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the Twenty20 tournament running from 3 to 4 May. Taibu said Zimbabwe’s famous one wicket victory over Australia in the inaugural tournament in South Africa 2007 will also be another cause to hope for more positive in results in this year’s competition. ?
The former Zimbabwean captain who was writing on the ICC website said: “Having won a game against the West Indies recently, we've continued to set ourselves targets to win every game. We've played good cricket before, we’ve beaten Australia, and I don't see why we can't produce those performances again. ??"With the shortened format of the game, it really is the case of who plays well on the day and this makes it an exciting format to follow. For us, it isn't just about competing and putting on a good show, it is also about winning, plain and simple."
Taibu said the domestic T20 competition was also helping the players to stay in shape and form. "The boys are all very excited to be playing in the ICC World Twenty20, especially after we've all been training very hard and being actively involved in the domestic Twenty20 competition.??
"This Twenty20 competition in Zimbabwe is a new one and we're hoping to be able to show how much cricket has grown here since we were last involved in an international competition. This domestic tournament is really helping us."