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T20 World Cup, SA vs WI: Speaking to the reporters before their Super 8 clash against South Africa in Ahmedabad, West Indies batting coach Floyd Reifer said that the team hasn't got enough attention of late, but they don't have any point to prove.

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00:04Hi, Floyd. There's been a lot of talk about West Indies and six-hitting ability in particular.
00:10Are you seeing this as a good match-up in terms of a South African line-up that's in pretty
00:14good form?
00:15I mean, the surface is a red-soil surface, so are you expecting this to be quite a high-scoring
00:20six-hitting contest?
00:22Well, both teams hit sixes, you know. But yeah, the pitch, once the wicket is good, then you expect, you
00:28know, a good batting performance on both of the teams.
00:31I think the main thing for us is, you know, trying to score as many balls as possible.
00:36Yes, we know we hit sixes, we hit fours, but for us is, you know, to score as many deliveries
00:41as possible.
00:43You came in with a lot to say about, you know, ten years on and maybe people not expecting them
00:51to be as good as they've been or point to prove or something like that.
00:54I mean, you've had some amazing wins and on the cusp of a semi-final. Do you feel like the
00:59point's been proved or are there still points to prove?
01:03There's no point to prove for us. You know, we came here like any other team to win the competition.
01:07You know, a lot of people have us flying under the radar, but, you know, we plan every game to
01:13go in there with a positive mentality to win cricket games.
01:18Many of the batsmen in your line-up were in the SA20 where they would have faced all the South
01:27African bowlers.
01:28Has there been any specific help that some of those guys like Schaeferen Rutherford or Shai Hopper have given with
01:35regards to plans to specific bowlers that they've faced?
01:39We just played a series against them in South Africa. You know, we played three games there.
01:44And, you know, guys like Rutherford, Chase, and Skipper Shear played in the SA20 as well.
01:51So, you know, when you play against teams in international cricket, guys know each other.
01:55They play against each other, even in franchise cricket.
01:58So, it's just a matter of on the day, you know, who plans the best on the day, who executes
02:03the best on the day.
02:06Floyd, do you think it's fair to say that there's something about the energy and dynamic of tournaments that seems
02:12to bring the best out of West Indies?
02:14You know, they always seem to be a threat at a tournament in a way that often they're not in
02:18bilateral series.
02:20Well, listen, our energy is great. The vibe is good within the team. You know, everybody's up for it.
02:25You know, like I said before, you know, we came here to win cricket games.
02:29We came here to play some good cricket and that's what we've been doing so far.
02:33You know, we've been planning well, batting well, bowling well, fielding well.
02:36So, you have to do all three of those departments in order to win cricket games.
02:41But for us, you know, it's about, you know, taking the boxes, you know, the guys are enjoying, you know,
02:46playing with each other, enjoying each other's company and enjoying each other's success.
02:50You know, that's important in a team set up.
02:53And just the tournament dynamic, does that bring something out of you guys?
02:57Yeah, I mean, it's a world stage. You know, everybody wants to perform at the World Cup.
03:01You know, this is important, you know, for guys to put in, you know, some beautiful performances at the world
03:07stage where everybody's watching.
03:12The turnaround time between the last game and this game is not much.
03:16And you're also coming to a venue where you haven't played, where South Africa has played almost all of their
03:21games in this venue except one.
03:22So, what sort of challenge do you think that brings to your team's preparation and to the goal of qualifying
03:28for the semi-finals?
03:29Yeah, they have an advantage of playing most of their games at the same venue.
03:34But, like I said, you know, once we plan properly and execute our plans, then, you know, we will play
03:40a good game of cricket.
03:41So, for us, we're not worried about, we're not worried too much about, you know, the venues and, you know,
03:47who played there, who didn't play there.
03:49For us now, it's just coming out and understanding what's needed to be done and execute.
03:55And also, Coach Darren had told me at the Wankere Stadium that, you know, regardless of whatever problems there is
04:01in West Indies cricket, he wants his team to play a brand of cricket that will inspire the next generation.
04:07Regardless of what happens in the tournament from here on, do you think that this tournament, you know, establishes the
04:12sort of pride in the team that where you have inspired the next generation with the kind of cricket that
04:17you've played?
04:18Yeah, I think we play some good cricket and, you know, have a lot of people at home watching.
04:23Yes, I think we have inspired the next generation of cricketers.
04:26Also, you know, the people in the Caribbean are very happy the way how we're playing.
04:30And obviously, you know, we want to go forward in the tournament.
04:33So, it's just for us now to continue, like I said before, to do all the good things, you know,
04:37make sure we tick the right boxes, you know, make sure we plan well and execute well.
04:41And they know that the Caribbean is rooting for us.
04:47Hi, Coach. Do you see South Africa as the most balanced side in this tournament and will tomorrow's contest will
04:55be like West Indies betting and South Africa's bowling?
04:58Can you repeat, please?
05:00Do you see South Africa as the most balanced side in this tournament and can tomorrow's contest be South Africa's
05:06baller versus the bigotting ability of West Indies?
05:09Well, all the teams are balanced teams. You know, you come to a World Cup, you have each team has
05:16quality players in it.
05:17And on the day, you know, on the day is important. It's which team wants it the most and which
05:23team executes their plans under pressure.
05:24So, I would say, yes, I would say, they have a balanced team, we have a balanced team as well.
05:30You know, all the other teams have balanced teams, but it's just a matter on the day, you know, which
05:35team wants to execute their plans the best of their abilities.
05:40Do you think in T20 format, anchoring has a role for the batting side when they are batting?
05:48And if you think it is still there, instead of just going for, you know, right from the first over,
05:53first ball, going bang, bang, bang, bang.
05:57If it is there, who do you have as an anchor in West Indian, this current West Indian team?
06:03Well, to me, the game has evolved. You know, teams are getting 220, 230 plus, right?
06:09So, it's just a matter of guys understanding their roles. Each person has a different role in the team to
06:15play.
06:15They have different phases in the game. You know, you have the power player phase, then the phase after the
06:19power player, then 11 to 15, 16 to 20.
06:22So, each person has a role to play in each phase of the game. So, it's just, you know, for
06:27guys to go out there and play their role, you know, execute their role in the different phases of the
06:32game.
06:33Any other questions?
06:36When you look at our team, we have quality batters, and we're not like the other teams. We're depending on
06:42one or two batters.
06:43If you look at our games, everybody has stepped up every game and put in performances, and we've been consistent
06:49in doing that.
06:50And that's a sign of a good batting team, a good batting unit.
06:54Alright, thank you guys. See you tomorrow.
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