Ireland captain William Porterfield feels that the best chance for his team to beat India in the ICC World Cup group league encounter will be to restrict them to a reasonable total by taking wickets.
- The World Cup, as never before on Rediff.com
"Look, obviously, we've got to try to restrict them with the ball and take wickets. It's just like any game of cricket and this format is the best way of restricting teams is taking those wickets. So we've got to go out there with that mentality throughout the 50 overs, with that of taking wickets. Whatever we do first of the first 10 overs, is going to be big," Porterfield said on the eve of their match against the defending champions.
The Irish skipper doesn't want to treat India as a special opponent and would go into the match like he would do for any other opposition.
"No, it's like any other game. We've gotten into each game with two points up for grabs, and tomorrow isn't any different. We've approached each game with great clarity and great professionalism really from our point of view," the skipper said.
But he did admit that things can change very quickly from this game.
"It's a quicker turn around now from this game than from what we've necessarily had before, but it's a good place as I said before, that we're in, and we've got to start fresh tomorrow and come start time." He however didn't deny that it's a good position to be in where even a point (in case of an abandoned match) will eliminate the West Indies from the equation.
"Yeah, it's a nice position to be in. It's one we want to be in the quarterfinals is a goal we set ourselves before we came here, so we're in, as I said, a nice position now, but it doesn't count for anything if we don't keep getting good performances and the start of the game tomorrow."
Asked if his theory of putting India onto bat and trying to chase down is an over simplification, Porterfield said, "As I said, whatever we do first tomorrow, we have to start well, being the first 10 overs with bat or ball and seeing how hard India came out after West Indies as well, so I don't think they've necessarily got a weaker suit as such. But as I said, we've just got to start well tomorrow."
Questioned if India having qualified for last eight would take it easy, Porterfield replied, "I think what India does is entirely up to themselves. They have obviously qualified, but I'm pretty sure they'll be looking to get top spot in the group as well. I don't expect them to come in any way lightly at ourselves, so we'll be ready for that."
The next World Cup will be a 10-team affair, which makes it tough for the Associate Nations, but the Irish captain views it differently.
"Yeah, obviously, as I said before, firstly, that's a tag I don't like. I think associates, I don't think teams should be associated any differently, and putting those tags on us. As far as I'm concerned, there is a ranking system in place and that's where we're at.
"So, hopefully, we make it to the quarterfinals and keep pushing on as a country ourselves, and hopefully the ICC will take notice and we'll start looking at the next World Cup."
