NEW DELHI-Coach Ottis Gibson said Friday his West Indies team isn't concerned that no one backs them to win the World Cup anymore and it helps when the former champion is overlooked."Nobody has given us a chance here and we don't mind that," Gibson said after the squad held its first workout in New Delhi on Friday ahead of a tough opening match against South Africa next week. "Everyone seems to have forgotten that we won the first two World Cups."
West Indies was the king of the World Cup in its early years, claiming the title in 1975 and 1979 and reaching the final in 1983 - when it lost to India.But the Caribbean team has not reached a final since and is rated below India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, England and Pakistan as a possible World Cup winner this year.Gibson said he was happy for his team to be written off again.
"We are very comfortable with where we are as a team at the moment," he said. "I believe people underestimate us and that gives us a good chance of getting on with our jobs, doing what we have to do, and surprising a few people along the way."West Indies' relatively young group was more experienced than people thought, Gibson said, with five of his 15-man squad being members of the victorious 2004 ICC Champions Trophy team. It also reached the final of the 2006 Champions Trophy - the last major 50-over tournament in India.
"It's good to be the underdogs," batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul said."The last time we came here for an ICC tournament we were the underdog and we were in the final. We've worked very hard over the last year and we just have to go and get the job done now."Chanderpaul is playing in his fifth World Cup, with Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan in their third. Gibson backed his experienced trio, alongside explosive middle-order batsman Kieron Pollard and young fast bowler Kemar Roach, to lead the West Indies' revival in 2011.
Although the loss through injury of wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh and batsman Adrian Barath was "a setback," Gibson said he had full confidence in replacement players Devon Thomas and the uncapped Kirk Edwards, who are set to join up with the squad once approved by the ICC.The 21-year-old wicketkeeper Thomas, who has played just two ODIs, is likely to go straight into the starting lineup for the first game against South Africa. (AP)