We'll win if mistakes not repeated: Shakib

Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan has hoped that they would win Friday's cricket World Cup match against West Indies if they could avoid repeating mistakes while West Indies captain Darren Sammy finds it as 'anyone's match'

Shakib and Sammy expressed their opinions in their pre-match press briefings on Thursday. The Tigers and the Caribbean's play their third march in Group B at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium at Mirpur at 2:3pm on Friday.

"We'll not take any pressure of a must-win-game … we will rather try to avoid mistakes in our previous matches. And we'll win if we can do so," said Shakib.

He also thinks that any team can make a berth in the next round. "The door is open for all. But we'll go one step ahead if we win on Friday."

"Bowlers have nothing to do if Chris Gayle or Kieron Pollard can stand on the crease … so we'll try to send them back to pavilion at the earliest," vowed the world's No 1 all-rounder.

He said off-spinner Mahmudulah Riad has been included in the 12-member squad as the West Indies team has several left-handed batsmen.

But the decision to include Riad or Mohammad Ashraful in the final squad has not been made yet, Shakib added.

Darren Sammy said, "Any team can win in their day … so no team is favourite."

"Cricket is an uncertain game," he reminded and echoed his rival captain Shakib, saying "The door to the second round is open for all."

Sammy said, "Chris [Gayle] has his plan that how he will lead the team to win. He is aware of his duty. [Devon] Smith is also playing well."

Regarding Dwayne Bravo's return to West Indies for injury, he said, "We've come to Bangladesh with full confidence … we want to win for him [Bravo]."

In the 2009 one-day series in West Indies, Bangladesh whitewashed them 3-0.

Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh's new hope, A genuine Bangladeshi all-rounder

A dominant all-round performance from Shakib Al Hasan helped Bangladesh secure a historic series win in Mirpur, their first against a top-flight opposition. Shakib's fifth ODI century rescued the home team from the depths of 44 for 3 and lifted them to a formidable 241, a target that proved nine runs too many for New Zealand, who now trail 0-3 in the series, with one game to go. Shakib then struck with the ball and, despite a valiant maiden hundred from Kane Williamson who battled through injury during the latter part of his innings, slammed the door on the visitors with three wickets to lead Bangladesh to a famous victory.
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been named The Wisden Cricketer magazine's 2009 World Test Player of the Year.
The magazine said on Thursday that Shakib topped the performance table of all test players based on marks awarded by Wisden Cricketer correspondents. "I guess I owe my performance to keeping things simple. I don't lose sleep over disappointments and rather look ahead to seize the next opportunity," Shakib said.
Shakib, who led Bangladesh to their first overseas test series victory against West Indies in July, is the first Bangladeshi cricketer to win the award.