History can repeat against India

KOLKATA, Feb 28 (AFP): West Indies coach Daren Sammy believes history can repeat itself as he aims to mastermind a T20 World Cup victory to end India's hopes, just as he did when captain 10 years ago.

Sammy led his side to a T20 World Cup semi-final win against India in Mumbai in 2016 and went on to lift the trophy as they beat England in the final in Kolkata.

It is on that same Eden Gardens pitch that Sunday's clash will play out in front of 68,000 partisan fans. Although it is nominally a Super Eights game, it is in reality a straight shootout -- the winner will move on to the semi-finals and the loser go home.

"In order to win this tournament you have to go through India at some point," said Sammy. "Tomorrow is that day for us."

"History could repeat though it's a different venue and two different teams."

The West Indies have not reached the semi-finals since lifting their second T20 World Cup a decade ago. But Sammy said earlier in the tournament that he believed "something special" was going to happen with his group of players, captained by Shai Hope.

"Because of the focus I saw in the team, the mindset, the attention to detail, the attention to their preparation, I still believe that," said Sammy. "Let me see if my words come true tomorrow."

West Indies skipper Hope has at his disposal a potent spin attack, seam bowlers with variety and incredible batting power.

His side have already blasted 66 sixes, a record for a T20 World Cup. India are next on the list 63 which sets up the possibility of a high-scoring slugfest on Sunday.

"It's a knockout," said Sammy.

"You win, you go through. You lose and then you start thinking about all the what-ifs.

The final is in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 08.

Meanwhile, India need to "be brave with the bat" in their winner-takes-all T20 World Cup showdown against the West Indies, said their assistant coach on Saturday.

India come into Sunday's do-or-die Super Eights clash in Kolkata full of confidence after finally stringing together a consistent batting performance in piling up 256-4 against Zimbabwe.

Abhishek Sharma laid the platform with his first fifty of the tournament after a torrid time in the group phase where he had three ducks in a row.

India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said Sunday's pitch at Eden Gardens looked good for batting.

And that could turn the match into a slugfest against a powerful West Indies line-up that has hit more sixes, 66, than any other side in the tournament.

India are next on the list with 63 and are striving to keep the defence of their 2024 crown alive.

The West Indies have not reached the semi-finals since lifting their second T20 World Cup a decade ago -- in Kolkata.

"It's certainly going to be a challenge," ten Doeschate told reporters before India trained at Eden Gardens.

"The surface looks pretty good, so it could be a high-scoring game.

"You have to be brave with the bat to maintain a high strike rate and high intensity throughout."

Both India and the West Indies lost to South Africa and beat Zimbabwe in Super Eights Group 1.

It means Sunday's clash in front of around 68,000 partisan fans at Eden Gardens will be a straight shootout for a place in the semi-finals, with the losers going home.

Awaiting the winner should be a semi-final against England in Mumbai on Thursday.