BANGALORE – England need to be “positive” and “fearless” in their high-profile World Cup clash against crowd favourites India, fast bowler Stuart Board said on Friday. “The thing about batting in the sub-continent is that you have to have a positive mindset at all times. That is the way we have tried to play our one-day cricket over the last 18 months,” said Broad. “We have been very fearless and if you think a shot is on you take it on. Our batsmen are excited about facing the Indian bowlers. We know they are a world-class attack and team.
” England, who meet India in the day-night match in Bangalore on Sunday, are seeking their second successive win after having beaten the Netherlands in Nagpur despite a below-par bowling performance. “There is no need to panic from a bowling point of view. It is just one game but we did not get it how we wanted to. We got the win under our belt and we can move forward to what is an exciting prospect on Sunday,” said Broad.
“Everyone is excited about playing India in a World Cup and I think any India-England battle is exciting to watch. “There is no reason why we can’t come out and express ourselves like we have done against the likes of South Africa and Pakistan last summer.
We can play good one-day cricket and it is important we show that on Sunday.” England have not won the World Cup despite making it to the final in 1979, 1987 and 1992, but Broad said things had changed since Zimbabwean Andy Flower has taken over as coach. “We have got to a few finals, but not won. That is in the past and since Andy Flower took over we have been changing the history of English cricket,” said Broad.
“We won the Twenty20 World Cup and we then won (the Ashes) in Australia for the first time in 24 years, so we are achieving things other England teams haven’t, but it obviously a World Cup is on our radar here.”We have the confidence of winning big tournaments. We know how big a part momentum plays in World Cups.”
