Sourav: That was a crucial game for us, as we needed to win to qualify for the Super Six stage. We had lost our first two matches against South Africa and Zimbabwe, and needed to win our remaining three matches to stay in the tournament. We beat Kenya in the first of those games and took on the then defending champions at Taunton. I was happy to contribute to a critical win. It took me some time to settle down, but thereafter, it was fantastic. Every cricketer experiences these special days, wherein he finds it easy to do whatever he wants with the bat or ball. That was my day.

You must have pleasant memories of the 2003 World Cup.

Sourav: Several pleasant memories. We won nine consecutive matches to reach the final. The practice sessions and team-meetings were great fun. It was like a family working out there. There was John Wright, our coach, a nice man. We had a great relationship for five years. Really a great experience, except the final!

What went wrong on the big day?

Sourav: I really do not know. Perhaps we could not handle the pressure of a big final, we got over-excited. It wasn’t the first time we had meekly surrendered in a tournament final. I haven’t been able to find out what happened to us whenever we played the final of a tournament. Our efforts of the previous two months, our plans, performances……..everything went into the dustbin with that loss. The defeat remains hard to digest.

The Australians are the favourites to win the 2007 World Cup. What is so special about them?

Sourav: They have an array of match-winners. You ask any player, and he will do it for the team. Ponting, Gilchrist, Hayden and Hussey can shut you out of the match with their rapid-scoring. They also have a match-winning bowler like Glenn McGrath. They field superbly and rarely miss a run-out opportunity or floor a catch. And they have the experience of winning big matches as well. You have to be at the top of our game to beat them.

What about our chances in the 2007 World Cup?

Sourav: We have a good team with the right blend of experience, youth and talent. I think we have the resources to go to the last lap.

(An exclusive feature for Sify from PMG)