Test Match Special - CWC 6 days to go: The captains' podcast

Episode Date: May 24, 2019

With six days to go, Mark Chapman is joined by all ten of the captains at the Cricket World Cup in front of a live audience of journalists and local school children. The captains talk India vs Pakistan, expectations, excitement and whether we will see the first ever side to score 500 in an innings. Don't forget, there's a new episode available every day throughout the tournament, so make sure you subscribe via BBC Sounds or your usual podcast app.

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Cricket World Cup. This is the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. There's a mix-up. Oh, there could be a run-out. There will be a run-out. It's a tie. Australia is in the final. Kevin O'Brien from nowhere has scored the fastest hundred in World Cup history. He's more than that's it. The West Indies have retained the title. And India have caused one of the greatest upsets in the history of all sports. It's all over. And England are out of the World Cup. That is absolute ignominium. Hello, welcome to the TMS podcast at the Cricket World Cup, just six days to go.

My name's Mark Chapman. I'm in what you would call, I suppose, a hipster venue in East London. Certainly, tough as a Vaughn would feel very out of place if they were in here. I'm about to go on stage and interview the captains of all ten teams at the men's cricket World Cup in front of the world's media. And there are also some local school children as well who will have. ask some questions throughout the course of the event. We're sitting on a big stage, massive leather sofas there, ready for the captains to sit on.

All of us wearing those Madonna-style microphones, the World Cup trophy is here. I am basically Fiona Bruce with much better behaved guests. Let's bring on the captains. First up, from England, please welcome Owen Morgan. Next, from India, Virac Koli, from Pakistan, Safras Ahmed. Next off, the captain of Afghanistan, Gourbadine Naid. The West Indies captain, Jason Holder, represented Bangladesh, their captain, Mastray Mottazza.

And the Australian captain is Aaron Finch. The South African captain, Baf Duclesi. Two more to come. The captain in Sri Lanka, Demur, Terenaradne. And the New Zealand captain is Kaye Williamson. I want to start with the battle between holders and hosts. Aaron Finch, Australia are the holders. So give us a perspective from your Australian point of view.

Who are the favourites, holders or hosts? Well, that's a good question. I think England have been in great form over the last couple of years. And along with India, they've probably been the standard. out performances. So you'd have to say England are definitely the favourites. You've got a lot of experience though, particularly backroom staff as well, coming into this. Yeah, I think it's important that some guys that have got that World Cup experience and having, I think, six players who have been a part of a winning World Cup,

will hold us in good stead going forward, hopefully. But it's a different tournament. Once you get out and start playing, the pressure takes over. So it would be a great tournament, though. So are you the favourites as hosts? Owen? I've got no idea. I think. I don't think there's anybody that's head and shoulders above everybody else. I think in a 10-team World Cup, it's 10 best teams in the world. It's going to be extraordinarily competitive tournament.

And I think there's be some quality cricket play. We're really looking forward to it. Does it change the dynamic when you are the host and there is no doubt going to be more attention on you when you're in your own country? Of course it will. I think for us it's called home. for a reason. We get to spend a lot of time in our own beds. We get to see a lot of our family and prepare like we have done for a number of years now. But England's a great place to come

and play cricket. Do you ask any of these guys or any of their players? They love coming here and playing. It may seem a ridiculous question to you, Virat, but is there less pressure on you when you aren't playing at home? We have both our warm-up games televised already, so not much pressure on the Indian team wherever they play. But yeah, look, there's always going to be a huge fan base for us anywhere we play in the world but yeah I have to agree with Aaron I think England is probably in their conditions the most

strong side in this tournament but I also agree with Morgs that all 10 teams are so well balanced and so strong and the fact that this is a tournament where we have to play every team once makes it all the more challenging and I think that's going to be the best thing about this tournament and I see

this as probably one of the most competitive World Cups that people are going to see there's quite a lot of other captains nodding actually about how balanced it is, Salfras, you were nodding there. You think it will be a very balanced tournament between the 10 of you. Definitely, as Morgan and Kholy said, all teams are really balanced. They all are made a good team. So I think wish them all the very best and people watch great cricket here.

There I mentioned the conditions in English conditions. That suited Pakistan back in the Champions Trophy in 2017. So how much do you draw on that experience? Definitely if you see a past record of Pakistan in India. England since 92 of talking about the Test Series or 2009 World Cup or 99 World Cup or 2017. So Pakistan past record has very good in England. So we are very confident we will do well in Charlotte in this World Cup. Dimeth, what are you saying to your Sri Lankan squad ahead of this tournament?

What are your motivation to them? We played lots of cricket last few years. I think we have good experience in England as well. So we try to do our best. We came early to get some confidence. get some confidence and, you know, get used to the conditions. I think we were good shape. We're trying to do our best.

That I'll come to you next, Kane. And the experiences of New Zealand from four years ago compared to now and how that might help. Yeah, there were a few guys that were in the last World Cup, which is great, so there is some experience there. But naturally, with four years in between tournaments, there is a lot of new players as well. So I guess there's been a lot of talk around rankings, favourites, underdogs. I think the thing that stands out is how balanced all the teams are and when it comes to the day anything can happen. Why do you think it is so balanced?

Do you think it's because of the growth of global games and global leagues which pits the best against the best? Which, you know, has grown over the last decade really. Yeah, if you look at international cricket right around the circuit now, you'll see very close competitive series home in a way. You know, there's not just more home series of dominating right through the league. right through the league stages of the season. So all of us are really excited to try out this new tournament when you're playing everyone once. I think it's a great format.

Let's get a couple of questions. We've got some of the kids have got a question, I think. Who's got the first question? Welcome to London. My dad says that cricket is coming home in 2019. How cool would it be to play in the World Cup finals at Lords? Owen. Extremely cool.

I think every captain sitting on the couch here would lose their left leg to play in that final to play in a World Cup final at the home of cricket would be something that everybody here would have dreamt about as a kid. Have you thought about the World Cup final yet, Jason, or is it one game at a time? I guess it's just one game at a time, you know?

We've just come here to play some really solid cricket. I think everybody's highlighted how level they're playing a few could be and cricket is a game that's played on the day, So I just think when we come here and everybody's up for the task and everybody knows the importance of the competition, and it's just a matter of who plays the best cricket in the drum throughout this tournament. You're nodding, Gilbert.

What are you expecting from the crowds here? It's excited to be here in the front of old cricket and also in the front of the top 10 teams. So we're excited and hopefully you do will be best cricket and presenting Afghanistan as such a good stage. Just going back, Mastraef, to the development and the game growing and it becoming more even. I think since I've got a stat here, since the last World Cup in 2015, Bangladesh 1-9 ODI series. So that shows the development for you guys.

Yeah, obviously. I think we've got a great bunch of boys. I mean, we get a good mixed up with seniors and all the juniors kickers coming and they played really exciting cricket. You must have seen the mentality of players change over the last. four years and the belief that you can beat any of these guys sitting up here. Yeah, obviously, you know, cricket is some games that, you know, in your day you can bid anybody, you know, especially team like us, you know, if you start well, we can hang in there. Gentlemen, that.

My question is from Sir Fraz. Do you regret the idea to play five matches against England? And what about the morale of the boys in the team after this series? No, I don't think so. I think it's a good practice for us and we had played lots of good quality cricket here. So I think morale was very high and we are ready to play World Cup and we are really hopeful to play good cricket here. Did you learn a lot from those warm-up matches? Yes, definitely. I think this is not a warm-up match. We play a top quality cricket on the top quality of sight.

So we have learned a lot. You know, it should take up either we lost the series, but we take very positive things just like our batting, performing very well. So, we are working with the fielding very hard in this at the moment, so hopefully we will do well as a team, inshallah. Owen, what did you learn from those warm-up matches? A huge amount. Certainly going into the series against Pakistan, having looked back at 2017, Champions Trophy, by far and away, Pakistan were the best team in that tournament. So we know how dangerous they can be on any given day.

So turning up to every game, knowing that they can produce a performance that's good enough to beat any tournament. that's good enough to beat anybody in the world was a huge motivation for us. It was obviously a high-scoring series and a very hard-fought series as well. Speaking of high-scoring, what do you think, I'll come to you, Aaron, first. What do you think the highest score could be at this World Cup? That's a great question. I think if you look over the last couple of years, the trajectory that scores have gone in this country and one day cricket, they've been going up and up, we've been on the receiving end of the highest one.

so I don't want to put a number on it because it's going to be so hard to tell with some games on some pretty good wickets on some pretty small grounds I think that if top orders get going teams are so explosive these days and they continue to keep going through the 50 overs it could be anything

Virat do you think a team could get 500? I was just going to say it really depends on how these boys get in the morning in time to play because they seem to be obsessed with getting to 500 before anyone else they just come and smash from ball one up to 50 overs so yeah look it could be pretty high scoring but you know this back home we had a press conference and they asked this question as well

but I said look 260 270 is going to be as difficult to get in a world cup as you know chasing 380 or 370 I don't see many high scoring games happening at the later half of the tournament yeah initially some teams might get on a roll but you'll see 250 defended as well that's that's the kind of pressure the world cup brings why would it go smaller as the when you get to the latter stages why could it go Why might it not be as free-flowing with the bat? Well, look, it really depends on not all the teams are going to be in a great position. So the ones that sort of have to make sure that they get the result are the ones that are going to be under pressure to chase even a small scoredown.

So I think it's just the fact that you're going to get closer to the knockout stages is what's going to bring more pressure in the later half of the tournament. And I think all the teams recognize that. No one's going to go gung home right from ball one. in pressure games in a World Cup you might get a team that just goes on a role but I think generally both teams would like to start in a balanced way and then find their way into the game

and look to capitalize when the moment comes in so I see the pressure playing a massive factor in the second half Kane do you feel sorry for the bowlers? No I mean we've spoken a lot about the betting but of equal importance is the bowling attacks and how they operate in order to restrict perhaps some of those bigger totals, maybe in the first half of the comp

where there may be some more free flow play, but also we're playing on a number of similar grounds where wickets and blocks may deteriorate a little bit as well, and there are so many matches that whether some are more suited to the bat, I have no doubt that there'll be some more suited to the ball. So everybody has a role to play and it's important, I guess, I'm sure we're all hoping that we all stick together as sides to try and navigate our way through the tournament. Pfe? Yeah, I think, as the guy said, your bowling attack and the kind of wicket takers that you do have

to your resources is going to be very important for us as the captains. And there's a few X-factor bowlers in every single team that's going to play a pivotal role in making sure that your team is successful as not. But yeah, with good wickets comes boundaries. So we've just got to make sure you keep the boys' eyes and calm. I've got a gentleman on the front right. Thank you. My question is Pakistan and Indian captain, Sir Frazan Koli.

Pakistan versus India match is very, very important. And people are very much excited, and they are looking at tickets, but unfortunately they could not find it. And you will both place in very high-level pressure. What do you say on that, please? Do you get tickets? I already change my website. I already changed my WhatsApp number very soon.

Look, India, Pakistan is always a very, very anticipated match, but we keep saying this again and again. If you ask the players, it's very different from how the fans look at the game compared to how the players played. Yes, you feel the anticipation and you feel the excitement of the fans when you enter the stadium, but as soon as you step onto the field, it's professional, you know, a bowler trying to execute his skills, a batsman trying to execute his skills to the best of their potential. And for us, it's just another game that you need to win as a team. Yes, it brings pressure because the atmosphere in the stadium is very different. And as I said, you only experience that till the time you start competing in the game.

As soon as you get into it, then at the end of the day, it's a game of cricket for all of us. I know we keep saying this again and again, but that's the truth. That's all the cricketers, I'm sure, from both the sides feel, that as soon as you start playing the game, it eventually is a game of batten ball and that's what you need to focus on. My answer also the same. No difference. No difference. But when the features come out, because you all play each other,

is that the first one you looked at to see when you would play Pakistan or is there another fixture you look at first? Not really. I mean, in the World Cup, you obviously, I think all the teams must have looked at the first four or five games that they're going to play because we're going to play nine. So you prepare accordingly as a side if the first phase is going to be, you know, how you're going to prepare for different sides? Because all the teams would have looked at first four games maybe or, you know,

break it down accordingly however they feel like. So I don't think we single out any game, as I said, because all 10 teams are strong and on their day they can beat anyone. And as I said, that's the most exciting part of the tournament. And that's something that we have spoken about as a side, that if we focus on playing good cricket, just about us as a side if we play good cricket,

I think we're going to be in a good position in the tournament. If you keep focusing on too much here and there, then there's too many things to focus on, because the teams are so strong. So, I'm sure every team would want to focus on their skills and then turn up on the day and hopefully have that skill set better than the opposition. Jason, does that make the format change in the fact that everybody plays each other? How does that work? Does that make it more, again, going back to the balance thing?

I think it's very exciting. You know, previously you would come in a World Cup and you play at five, six games in the preliminary stage, and I guess if you make it through to the knockouts, then you have a few more. But I guess it's a good spectacle now to having playing all the sides in the World Cup. You know, you work hard for a workup, and now with the qualifiers being brought into the four, now you're qualifying. So it's the top ten teams into it. So you would want to play all the teams and give yourself a fair shot at winning a World Cup. And I guess anybody who's lifting the World Cup at the end of it, you know, would be well deserving of it.

Okay. We have, yeah, yeah, yeah. Question for Aaron. Aaron, hi. How would you sum up the mood of Warner and Smith on the eve of the competition? What kind of receptions do you think they get from cricket fans here? And also, is there any truth in the idea that Warner's concerned about a security in the UK? No, certainly not that I'm aware of.

Since they've come back into the squad and the setup in the last couple of weeks, they've been fantastic. They've contributed as much as they can. Their morale has been unbelievable. Obviously, once the World Cup gets underway, and then we start to get into the... into the tournament, particularly probably games against England, and then further on past this tournament with the Ashes.

No doubt that the crowds will start to play a bit of a part, but that's expected. No matter where you go in the world, the fans play a huge part in it. So no doubt that personally and as an organisation, we've got things in place for that, but their input and output with their runs they've been making in the lead up to this tournament, it's been fantastic. Hi, Virak, I know you're often the key wicket that most teams look for in the batting But how do you feel about being called out by Joffra Archer as the wicket that he wants to take most in this World Cup? And what have you made of his emergence as an international bowler of real potential?

Did he say that? I have no idea. Okay, so that's news to me. News to Mons as well. Well, look, we don't really focus on these things. Even as an individual, you don't really focus on whether people want to get you out or you're being spoken about more or, you know, things like that. like that, our focus is mainly to contribute to the team in whatever way possible. And I take a lot of pride in performing for the team and making impact performances every game. So if Joffra said that, it's a big compliment because he himself is a world-class bowler and

the way he's come about in the IP of the last couple of years I've seen him and playing all around the world, there's good reason why he's been fast-tracked into playing for England in a tournament like World Cup. So I think he's probably going to be their X-factor because he holds a skill. said which is very different from anyone else. He can generate a lot of pace which can be intimidating and you don't really expect that because of his run-up and, you know, but the way he's built, he's just a great athlete and I'm sure the England team is delighted to have him as well but he's going to be pretty exciting to watch in the World Cup. I personally

would be watching his bowling as well because whatever I've seen of him, he's been very, very impressive. Following on from that, do you think Virat described him as having the X-factor? Do you see him as having the X-factor? And in your time of counting, he's captained him so far, what has surprised you about him? Nothing is surprised me about him. He's come in and performed exactly how he has been around the world. He's impressive in all three, I suppose, part of a 50 over game. He gives you an option in different areas

and obviously he has that extra bit of pace as well, so he is exciting. And is it putting pressure on him to describe him as the X factor, or would he relish that? No, it's a huge opportunity. very young, very ambitious, very confident, wants to play international cricket for England. And that's extremely exciting. He's at the very start of his international career. It so happens it's the start of a World Cup and Ash's year that he could potentially have a lot of time playing. So, you know, if we started, everybody started here in such a big year like

that and had a huge opportunity, it's extremely exciting. Question for Vera. What did your team learn from the recent series lost to Australia? And did that change your perception of them going to the World Cup at all? I think the one thing we learned and, you know, all of us were standing at the presentation and the one thing we spoke about, and I spoke to Stoyne as well when we played in the IPL, was the fact that if a team on a given day gets together against a very experienced side and they just believe more that they can win against all the odds that can be achieved. And I think that's the learning we got from that series that we played. Being 2-0 up, we thought we're definitely going to win one out of three. But they showed more passion, more character and more determination than us in the small moments. And they enjoyed every moment as a side, which we took a lot of learning from. So you play anyone in this World Cup, you will need to have that passion and that commitment.

Otherwise the other team is going to get one over you. So that was our learning from that particular series that we lost to Australia. Aaron, what did you learn from that series? Yeah, exactly. It just no matter what happens in a series, if you keep hanging in there and hanging in there and believe that when you get to the big moments that you can create something against such an experience side who's been together for a long time now, it can be quite a daunting challenge and I think in the past when we've been 1-0, 2-0 down, it can almost

have a deflated impact on your side and you can go in there expecting to lose a series and just trying to just trying to compete in small parts. So the ability for our players, the belief that we got out of that series to, I suppose, just keep hanging in, hanging in, no matter what the situation, if you keep having a crack, you can turn momentum and you can change momentum in a game so quick that you just have to keep producing day after day. Because if you, like Virat said, if you take any team in this World Cup lightly, you'll get beaten on the day. There's no doubt about that. And with the structure of the tournament, I think it's fantastic that you play everyone. So the absolute best team of the World Cup will win it.

But also, Vera mentioned that they'd learn to enjoy the moments by seeing you enjoyed the moments, and sometimes enjoyment can get forgotten in elite sport by all of us. Yeah, absolutely. I think that's the reason we play it as kids, because we love playing the game. And at times, you can probably lose sight of that when wins and losses start to take over that thinking. So for us, it was about enjoying each other's company and enjoying each other's success. I think that was such a huge part of it, just taking every opportunity. to really soak up the atmosphere

and playing cricket in India, it doesn't get much better than that. The support and the passion, the crowds, the scrutiny, everything that comes with playing in India is an amazing experience and something that everyone's very grateful for when you get the opportunity to. So it's just about trying to do it day in, day out.

The guy here, so just in the back. Kane, just the question. How much of a challenge is it to bring the team together? I think, you know, you haven't played an ODI for a couple of months and the boys been off playing the IPL and that sort of thing, quite a short turnaround from preparation. Yeah, I guess the nature of having a tournament the other side of the world where it's your different season meant that we perhaps didn't have

some of the, much like a number of other teams, have our domestic comps going on or series within our own countries where you are getting some of that one-day cricket. But that is the nature of the beast and guys have been involved in an IPL We did have a series in Australia where there are a few warm-up matches there that were really beneficial to the guys involved in that. And to a degree, it is the nature of just the international game where it's constantly evolving, ever-moving, where you're either changing formats or you're playing cricket in all different countries, and you're trying to prepare mentally as well as you can whilst looking ahead at the fixtures coming up.

So obviously a significant tournament in the calendar, one that the team's really excited for. And the preparation has been different for each, but we are looking forward to the two warm-up games that we have prior to going into the World Cup. So more and more, because it's so disparate and everybody's around the world, you have to trust the individual more to be on their game when they're on. Yeah, I mean, there's always that individual component. But I do think when you come to certainly tournament sport, probably any sport where you want to see the team come together as a collective. And I think that's the best way to build momentum in a tournament. And I know that's what every team will be looking for.

And for us, it's been great to get together for the last few days. Like it's been mentioned, we haven't played together for a couple of months. But we're not the only ones in that boat. And the guys are really excited to be back in camp, which is really refreshing. and looking forward to the challenges that we have coming up. Question for Gulberdin. How important is your appearance at a World Cup for Afghanistan and why is cricket such a huge thing and so important for you as a country?

After the look last 30, 40 years in Afghanistan, it's what's going on there. So one thing in Afghanistan here is only cricket now. It's a huge sport there now. It's a first sport in Afghanistan now. So giving hope to the people of Afghanistan. It's one thing I think is a cricket's up there. So that's why I'm very excited to be here to lead my team and lead my country in the front of the whole world.

And one thing is more important for Afghanistan is now recently a piece. And when you are playing games here, what will be the reaction back home? Yeah, people are very excited they are back home. Even in district tournaments there, club tournaments there's a huge audience there coming around villages and districts, provinces, chairing. Because the only thing in Afghanistan is only sports is cricket now.

Okay, let's take a question from one of the school children who are here. If you could add only one player to a squad from any of the other teams, which player would you choose? Maybe Let's Actually, let's Actually, let's start that Because Owen's looking the most uncomfortable So let's start with Owen

And we'll go that way I wouldn't change anybody I would hear Ricky Ponting's part of Australia's coaching staff So I'd take Ricky Ponting Right Virat

Oh, that's a very difficult question. Again, we feel we're such a strong side ourselves. I mean, but if I have to pick one guy, it has to be from the current lot, is it? You can't choose A.B, mate. What? I was going to say A.B. But, yeah, he's retired now. But, yeah, I would choose Faf.

Faf, right. Good friends with Faf. Yeah, I would love to battle with them. Just choose each other. You're just going to cheer, yeah. I think for me, Josh Butler. Josh Butler for you. Jason?

I don't want to be too boring like Owen, but I'm pretty happy with my squad as well. So yeah, Govini can go on and answer this question to be fair. Right, Gulba-Doo. I don't think so, anyone. It depends on that day. It depends on that day. the day. Yeah. This is a remarkable display of different answers of avoiding the question so Bob. You're screwed by the way because by the time we get to you, you've got no, you're going to have

no excuses left. My Shreve? Dadgai. You take Virat. Right. Okay. Aaron? It's a great question. I think one player that I'd love to play with KGA Rabata. I think it is, it provides so much with the ball and his energy is a superstar. Now the pressure on you is whether you reciprocate what Ferris. I'll pick a few players. Right, okay.

Yeah, I think from a boating attack right now in the moment in the world, there's a few bowlers that are hot. Jesse Boomerah is one of them. He's been bowling really well. As Virad was talking about multi-format bowlers, like he's really good at the moment. Exciting spinner.

Shee Khan is going to make an appearance in 50-over cricket. I think he's a real good bowler. Pat Cummins from Australia, you know, all ex-factor biolars. I think they would be, for me, I really want to see how they go this tournament, especially with a tournament where all the batting is so favourites. So, I mean, you really think bowlers are going to win this tournament? I think so. The wickets are good, you know, generally all batters will score runs on good wickets.

So my opinion is I think that the team towards the end of the tournament and it's going to be a team that's done really well with a ball. And as I said earlier, it's got capabilities of taking wickets, even on flat wickets. So you haven't picked Vera? Virat is in my batting team. Oh, right, Viras is my bowling team. Who would you take for another team?

If I had the chance, I think definitely, I would have had Ben Stark. Ben Stoke. Yeah, definitely. He is a game changer. So we know what he can do. I think one of the kind of player, I think definitely will work for our team. Okay.

And Kane? The mic's gone... Oh, is your mic? What a time for your mic to fail. Has it actually gone? No. Yeah, like... Oh, it is.

It is gone? He really did something. You put it off, yeah. Am I there? Yeah, yeah. The bowlers will clearly play a big part in this tournament, despite what the scores are. He mentioned Rashid Khan, and he's always a pleasure to play with, so he'd be more than welcome in my team any time.

Good answer. Great question. Hi, my question is for Yovin and Virad. Virad, the first question to you was about handling pressure and everything. You've won a couple of World Cups for India as an under-19 cricketer, and then in 2011. Now you're the captain, the premier batsman of the side. How are you handling the expectations of this summer? And similarly, even England, everybody thinks they've changed the format altogether, you know, with high scoring, high power. How are you dealing with that expectation that everybody has from England this summer?

So we always talk about why expectation is there. Expectation doesn't come out of hot air. We have scored some quite high scores, particularly at home. And that's built a lot of confidence within the side. But we certainly believe expectation is there for a reason. Obviously, we've prepared pretty well, but at World Cup is a different kettle of fish. You still have to play against some of the best sides in the world,

all the best teams in the world, to earn the right to get to the latter stages. And like every other side, we'll still have to do that, regardless what has been before. So everything you've done, yes, it does contribute, experience, performance, confidence going into the World Cup, but you still have to produce it then as well. Stuart Broad said, Owen, that no previous international ODI English batsman would get into this top seven at the moment.

Is that fair? That's fair. Yeah. I totally agree. Good. That was short and sweet. Right, there. And then there's a guy behind the pillar there.

Sorry, English, but we're talking English. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'd agree with that. And we have a final question. There's a man with his hand up there. Whoever's got the mic on? Five. South Africa

have never had a boring World Cup it's always been dramatic and sometimes traumatic how would you measure progress on you know from what's gone before what would you at the end of this tournament whatever happens how would you say right we've gone forward as a World Cup team for me it's the guys

that are here compared to the previous tournaments teams that we've had it's a lot younger in terms of the names that we have on the team sheet with that names comes exciting opportunity, as Moog said, for younger players. We've got some players that's been part of experience campaigners that's been to World Cups.

But there's absolutely no guarantee that South Africa will come here and win the tournament. For me, that's like the guys are saying, there's 10 high-quality teams. For us, there were some real good signs the way we played in the previous World Cup. Really enjoy that we started playing our best cricket towards the end of the tournament. played a really good game against Sri Lanka and the quarterfinal and then a fantastic game of cricket against New Zealand which they were better than us on the day. So as long as we're doing that, that's all you can control.

If you're playing your best cricket, if the opposition is better than you on the day, then you hold your head up high and so well done. Do you leave history for others to talk about? You can't control the history. So, I mean, that's something that I'm a firm believer and you can't control the past or the future. All you can try and focus on is what's ahead of you.

If that's good enough on the day, then it's great. If it's not, as I said, as long as the opposition is playing better than you, then it's okay. I want to end just with one question that you can all answer, because you've all been on, and it's a little bit tweak, because I hate the question, how are you feeling in sport? But you've all been on different journeys to where you've got to now, and you're about to captain your country in a World Cup. So when you look back on your journey, on the eve of the tournament, what are you feeling

before captaining your country in the World Cup? You might have to ask me on the eve of the tournament, I've still got about a week to go. Yeah, look, I'm really excited to get into it. And for us, it sort of starts before these warm-up games. This is very hard to simulate the exact intensity, so we're looking to get out of them what we need. But the squad is together now, and it's really important

as a group that we gel and sort of a little bit what Fuff mentioned is we want to be playing our brand, our style of cricket as well as we can, and focus on that throughout the next sort of six or seven weeks or whatever it'll be. Demer? I think it's really exciting. You know, played a World Cup. It's a dream come through every players.

I think we have nine games, you know, like not like the previous World Cups, so we have lots of matches. So we are taking one by one. So we are trying to do our best in each match. Yeah, same thing. I suppose everyone's going to say the same thing probably, but it's about a year or two of planning and putting teams together, putting players together, putting game plans together.

Just excited for the tournament to actually start now. It's been a long process of looking forward to this World Cup and in a week's time we'll get there. Aaron, you have a notebook, don't you, that you write everything in? Will you write thoughts before your opening World Cup, mate? Yeah, no doubt I will. It's just something that, just how you're feeling and things like that. just as a reference, so you can go back to and try and get in the same state of mind

as when you're playing well and things like that. That's more of a personal thing. But as a team, we're really excited. It's something that we've been together since the 2nd of May now as a group and building up. So it's been important for us not to try and put all our energy and focus into the preparation and the lead-up. You can't win the World Cup before it started. So it's about staying as mentally and physically fresh as we can as well as getting enough work in. And it's just, that's an exciting time. Anytime a World Cup comes around, it's a huge excitement. There'll definitely be nerves around, no doubt, as the tournament gets closer and that's natural.

So, can't wait for it to get underway. I wish it was tomorrow. Mashrae, will you be a nervous group ahead of the start? Now is everything is all our mental preparation. Tournament is very close. So obviously it's depend on how we mentally, you know, get together and start well. and we are excited, you know, as a group. Are you ready, Gilbertine?

Yeah, very excited. If you look back and qualifying rounds or how we qualify to the World Cup, so we're very excited to be here and lead the team. And Jason, for you personally from the captain's point of view, I was reading something this week where your quote was saying, you thought you were too nice at the start as a captain

and tried to please everybody. Yeah, I guess it's something personally that I've had to work on over the last couple of years. It's obviously been a different dynamic and a different challenge from you personally. But I think if you look at it from a team's point of view, you think we're all excited. I think we can all share the same sentiments. And, yeah, we just hope that the competition could be starting tomorrow as opposed to going through the Walmart games and just get straight into it.

But, you know, it is what it is. You know, we've got a long time here over the next couple weeks. And, you know, hopefully we can enjoy playing here in England and lift the World Cup. Will there be nerves and excitement in the Pakistan camp? Well, definitely, firstly, you know, great to be a part of this. this type of tournament and really honored to be a captaining of the country in the World Cup cricket tournament. So all are ready to play and do well, inshallah, in this World Cup as a team. Yeah, it's, I mean, for me, it's a big honor to be captaining the Indian team at the World Cup.

And the whole team as every other team would be, they're excited as well as a bit of nerves will be there before you play that first game. But I think as soon as you get into it, then all teams will know which direct they're heading in and what needs to be worked out. So from a general point of view, it's a great honor for me to be stepping out as the captain of the Indian cricket team in the World Cup. And you sit there, Owen, in the kit that is a nod to the England team that got to the 92 final. Are you ready for what might happen over the next month, five weeks?

Yeah, I think we're as best prepared as we possibly could be. A bit like Finchie mentioned, we want the first game to be tomorrow. Get yourself into the tournament regardless of what happens. of what happens. In many ways, you just want to play that first game. So more than likely, you know, put your head on the pillow the night before the first game, knowing that you've done everything possible to prepare your best for the tournament and to go out and do your best to try and give a good accountability of your country. And to captain the host nation, I know you'll tell me it's not about you, but it's about the team, but to captain the host nation?

That's incredible. To put it into context, it's not something that I ever dream. dreamed of. I always dreamt about scoring a test match 100 as a kid or scoring the winning runs in a World Cup final, but to captain at home World Cup is something I never dreamt of. So it's pretty special. Thank you very much to all 10 of you for your thoughts and being part of it. Here, ladies and gentlemen, the captains of the Ten Nations at the Men's Cricket World Cup 2019. Thanks very much for listening. Hope you enjoyed that. We'll have a new podcast every day between now and the day after the final. So look out on Monday morning for a fascinating in-depth interview that Michael Vaughn has done with the England captain Owen Morgan.

Available every day during the Cricket World Cup. This is the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live.