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ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP

February 27, 2015

Mohammad Tauqir

PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Q. When you play a team like India, what is the mood of the team, and what do you tell the boys about the big stars and what is the feeling?
MOHAMMAD TAUQIR: We know they are big stars, but we will take this game like the last previous two games. This intensity is going to be the same, and we'll take it like just another game. We will not be intimidated by their names or their status.

Q. The last time you played India and taking a wicket (Indiscernible). So your memories of that game? That was a long time ago, so what is your focus for tomorrow?
MOHAMMAD TAUQIR: Of course, we'd like to -- everybody would like to do well. All the boys are looking forward to this game. Everybody wants to do well. I mean, yeah, that game was a long time back. I mean in the last few games the fielding boys have done a good performance and everybody would like to repeat a good performance and put up a good show against India.

Q. (Indiscernible) you guys were playing very good at the last. Do you think there was some stage fright or there was playing in a different location? Now how do you take care of that aspect?
MOHAMMAD TAUQIR: The Zimbabwe game was close. The Ireland game was even closer, so we are getting closer to the win. We know we're playing well. Mentally everybody is very, very calm. We're not getting emotional by the situation, so we're taking it easy, sticking to our basics and doing the basics right and enjoying the game.

Q. Coming over to the World Cup and playing bigger teams like India, what are the lessons that you are taking into this game? What have you learned from the previous games?
MOHAMMAD TAUQIR: As I said, if you look at the Zimbabwe game and the game against Ireland, yes, definitely there was an improvement in the overall performance. The Zimbabwe was over in 47th and 14th over, and Ireland went up to the last over. So we need to finish the line now and get over this line and win this. So as we said, we're getting closer to the victory. Everybody's enjoying this event and playing a good cricket.

Q. The guys are really looking good making the 29, 30 runs that they're making, and then it's almost as if they're gifting their wickets away, but they're playing so well, this is happening in both their matches. What instructions or advice to these batsmen? What is happening on that front?
MOHAMMAD TAUQIR: Yeah, I think we need to turn the 30s and 40s into bigger runs, and Shaiman has shown us in the last game. Yeah, we've been maybe a little bit lapse of concentration in the middle, but we know our middle order can put up a bigger inning and this is the chat we had in the dressing room. I'm sure we'll look at some bigger innings during this tournament.

Q. The feeling, I mean, you guys have been very enthusiastic on the field. To see what we have seen in the last year from you guys one gets the feeling that the previous match against Ireland, the main turning point would be that you guys had about 15 chances and yet you couldn't hit the stump even once. I know it's difficult to improve in that in just two days, but have you guys thought about that aspect of the match?
MOHAMMAD TAUQIR: We've been working very hard on all our cricket and especially on our fielding. We have put in really a lot of hard work. Yeah, I would not say 15 chances. Maybe four or five chances. It's a direct throw, you know, so we try to hit the stump and it didn't. So, yeah, the boys are putting a lot of hard work in fielding. Yeah, a little bit of chances are in there. But, overall, it was a satisfactory effort in the last two games.

Q. (Indiscernible). You've been asked this question at times, but as a captain, how do you feel it is to form a team particularly when you have (Indiscernible)?
MOHAMMAD TAUQIR: Absolutely not. That is not an issue in the dressing room. I mean, if you look at UAE as a country, it's a very cosmopolitan country, more than 16, 17 nationalities living there. Most of these boys are living there for over 10, 15 years and UAE is like a home for them, so that's not an issue at all. We're all one team, and we're enjoying the whole in this dressing room as a team effort.

Q. There is so much emotional drama that you guys had to go through in the previous game against Ireland. Obviously you probably aren't really used to it, and it's a pretty (Indiscernible) situation. Does that help that you played India two days after or would you have liked to take a couple days break before you play a team like that? Just the mental aspect of that?
MOHAMMAD TAUQIR: I think in a way it's good that we build that momentum from the last game and we didn't have to wait very long. So the only issue was it was a bit of traveling, so we finished the game in the night and we had an early morning flight to Perth. So that was a little bit of trying. But I think the momentum is good, and we would like to carry this momentum into the next game also.

Q. An extension of that, just to expand a little more because this is a tournament. You mentioned momentum. Having seen the first two games and the improvements you've made, do you genuinely feel in the dressing room there is a stronger field to the players now and the confidence? Started with Nelson and the small ground and then Brisbane. Do you get the feeling the players are growing into the tournament?
MOHAMMAD TAUQIR: Definitely, I said that. We are getting closer now to the victory. The mood in the dressing room is very, very positive. Everybody is looking forward to this game. We're not intimidated by any big names or a big team. So all the games are equally important for us. The intensity is going to be the same as in the Indian -- in the next match as it was in the previous two games and going forward also.
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