'South Africa are in for a challenge' - Samuels

Marlon Samuels has said that the South Africans should expect a stiff challenge when they take on West Indies in the opening game of the ICC World Twenty20 on September 11.

"Hopefully, we could pull off a win like in the 2003 World Cup opener," said Samuels. "They (South Africa) are at home and have the advantage but we are playing very good Twenty20 cricket." West Indies drew the two-match Twenty20 series 1-1 during their recent tour of England and were impressive in the first match, posting a match-winning 208.

"I'm just picking up from where I left off in England with the bat. It's Twenty20 and it's my kind of game," said Samuels, who scored 63 from 30 balls as West Indies clinched an easy victory over Kenya at Benoni. "I went out there after we had lost two early wickets but Shiv [Shivnarine Chanderpaul] was still out there and I bat well with Shiv so I gave him the support by pushing singles as he played a few shots and I got my eye in. Then I carried on by taking on more responsibility."

Samuels lauded Ramnaresh Sarwan's captaincy and said, "I think Sarwan has been doing a very good job as a leader so far, the entire team is pulling with him. It's one for all and all for one." Sarwan had missed most of West Indies' tour of England due to a shoulder injury after taking over as captain following the World Cup in the Caribbean.

Samuels admitted that there were aspects of the game that West Indies need to improve on. "In the bowling department we looked a bit rusty and bowled too many wides and in the field we dropped a few catches but we are looking decent as a team."

West Indies face New Zealand on Sunday in their final warm-up game before the tournament begins.