Rankings meaningless at World Cup, says Steyn

Kolkata, April 18 

The top-ranked England and India may be seen as favourites going into the World Cup but South Africa’s veteran pacer Dale Steyn said rankings would be of little significance during the showpiece event. “I think you really need to take rankings and throw it out of the window. Rankings these days don’t mean anything. I don’t even know what ranking West Indies have, and they just beat England. Australia were losing, and then they’ve started winning again,” the Royal Challengers Bangalore pacer said at the Eden Gardens. 

“I think every team going to the World Cup has a massive chance. England are playing in England, and they’re playing some good white-ball cricket,” he said refusing to name any clear favourites. “You just need to go there, figure out which teams are best adapting the conditions and then the team that hits the ground running first has the best chance,” he added.

Steyn, who will turn 36 in June, will probably be appearing in his last World Cup and he said they are going with high expectations. “I don’t think South Africa have lost an ODI series in two-and-a-half years but no one gives us a chance and then somebody does,” he said as they’ve won 11 of their last 13 ODI series. “If you’re not going to the World Cup expecting to win, then you probably shouldn’t go. But I’m not going to lie, we have some fantastic players,” he added. South Africa face England in the opener on May 30 at The Oval.

No hard feelings

Ignored at the IPL auctions last year, the South African pace great has been roped in as replacement for injured Nathan Coulter-Nile. “He (coach Gary Kirsten) asked me have I been playing, have I been bowling, and I said yes. I was actually prepping to play our local T20 tournament. It can sometimes be difficult coming halfway through the IPL and the World Cup coming up, but we got through it, and here I am,” said Steyn. — PTI 

SOUTH AFRICA SQAUD

• Faf du Plessis (captain), Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, David Miller, JP Duminy, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Dwaine Pretorius, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Imran Tahir, Tabraiz Shamsi