Lara aims to defy curse of the host

Though home advantage has traditionally been anything but that at the World Cup (no host has ever won the tournament apart from Sri Lanka who were co-hosts and won the 1996 final in Lahore) Brian Lara, the West Indies captain, believes his side might be best placed to crack the curse.

Under Lara's third captaincy stint, the West Indies have become a vastly improved ODI side and before losing back-to-back series in the subcontinent, had reached the final of two limited-over tournaments in recent months. The run included a couple of wins against Australia.

Lara claims that the West Indies, who won the first two tournaments in 1975 and 1979, have their best chance yet to add a long-awaited third title.

"We are looking to get to the semi-finals and then take it from there," said Lara, who hadn't recovered sufficiently from a knee injury to take part in Trinidad & Tobago's Carib triumph at the weekend.

"We have a very good record at home, and the players are really looking forward to this major event. We have a fit team that is ready to go and we have the ingredients to do well."

The hosts open the tournament with a tough Group D tie against Pakistan on March 13 at Sabina Park, Jamaica. Thereafter, drawn with Zimbabwe and Ireland, qualification for the Super 8 will be the bare minimum as expectation.

As the region welcomes the 12 remaining teams in the coming week, West Indies players are beginning to assemble in the Jamaica capital for a brief camp ahead of the World Cup. The West Indies Cricket Board announced on Sunday that the 15-man squad will be together for the next week before their first warm-up match against Kenya on March 5 at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium.

"We will be together for a few days before the World Cup gets going. It's the greatest tournament in the West Indies, and we are looking forward to doing very well," Lara added.