T20 World Cup 2021 | 'No bigger game than the next, says Kyle Coetzer as Scotland aim to take it step by step

10/16/2021

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Scotland skipper Kyle Coetzer has said that the team understands the dangers every match brings at the T20 World Cup 2021. Scotland are placed alongside Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea and co-hosts Oman in Group B in the Round 1 stage, prior to the Super 12 beginning on Saturday, October 23.

Scotland are primed to qualify for the Super 12 round at the T20 World Cup 2021, as they are placed alongside the inexperienced Papua New Guinea and Oman in Group B in Round 1. Bangladesh, the fourth team in the group, and and Scotland have participated in T20 and ODI World Cups before.

Kyle Coetzer though, doesn't want to take any team lightly.

"Every game is as it comes. There is no bigger game than the next. We understand the dangers in every game. For us, every team has the ability to win games. We have to respect that as best as we can but also not fear it. We have to be able to go out there and play our style of cricket. We know the dangers Oman pose to us. They've played some good cricket against us over the years. We look forward to those games. On any given day, you have to look forward to that and respect the opposition," said Coetzer.

Coetzer believes that Goerge Munsey will be one of the dangerous players alongside other batsmen in the team.

"George is a fantastic player. He has been playing exceptionally well recently," he said. "He has been a consistent performer for us in T20 cricket - prior to the pandemic and after the pandemic. He has developed into a dangerous player. What he does do well is he works very well in partnership with whoever he is playing. He is able to take the pressure off the other batter that's in and work together with them.

"There are dangerous players throughout our line-up, and George is just one of them, who is ready to make a scene in international cricket. Ultimately, it comes down to him when and how he does that. How he makes decisions in pressure situations. He is certainly in fine form where he feels he can really influence our team with the bat."

Furthermore, the Scotland skipper praised the leg-spinner Chris Greaves, who made his T20I debut against PNG earlier this month.

"Chris is a character. He is full of energy," he said. "He likes to get on the field. He's got the never say die attitude. Being a wrist spinner, you've got to be confident, be willing to want the ball in your hand and take on the challenges you face on any given day. Chris is willing to do that on and off the field. He's had to fight really hard to be among the squad.

"To see the way he has taken the opportunities coming his way has been really exciting for us as well as him. Having a wrist spinner among your squad, in any T20 team, is a really valuable asset. And Chris has certainly added to our bowling attack and spin department."

The 37-year-old has a well rounded side at his disposal, and believes that having selection headaches is a good problem to have.

"I'm sure every captain and coach is going to have a tough selection challenge," he said. "Picking a team for any international team for a world cup fixture is tough. We do realise we have those challenges. Not that we haven't had it in the past, but it is tougher than it has ever been. It puts Scots cricket in a very good position and creates real competition for place. That is really important and so valuable moving into this tournament. We're in a really good place and picking the final XI will be tough but it's a problem that we want to have."

Scotland will participate for the fourth time in the T20 World Cup, having featured in 2007, 2009 and 2016 previously. In seven matches, they secured just one win, which came against Hong Kong in Nagpur in 2016. Coetzer hopes for an improved show this time around.

"The only way you can prepare yourself for that (World Cup matches) is by putting yourself in those situations," he said. "By willing to try to train as best as you can under pressure, challenge your players whenever appropriate, as often as you can, will give you those opportunities.

"Yes, we've missed opportunities at the World Cup to win games that we could've probably gone over the line. That's something that we seem to have banished in recent times. Winning games of cricket and performing under pressure is the key area for us. Having beaten Hong Kong in the last world cup has helped us get the monkey off our backs of not winning any games at the world cup. We've done that and now it's time to move on and think for the next stage, try to push for the Super 12s."

Scotland will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on Sunday, October 17 at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman.