Left: Brian Lara, captain of the West Indies team, holds the ICC World Cup after a press conference at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Montego Bay, St. James, on Saturday. - Ricardo Makyn   Right: Pakistan cricket captain Inzamam-ul-Haq with the Cricket World Cup Trophy during a news conference in Montego Bay yesterday. - Reuters

By LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter

Hosts West Indies begin the competitive round of the 2007 Cricket World Cup tomorrow when they face Pakistan at Sabina Park, and captain Brian Lara has promised a "performance that every West Indian will be proud of".

This match could reveal the West Indies chances of lifting the Cup and their commitment to winning, following an unconvincing 21-run win over Kenya and an embarrassing nine-wicket defeat to India, where they only scored 85, in last week's warm-up games.

The West Indies have a winning record against Pakistan in the World Cup (five wins from seven games), but Pakistan by far has dominated the West Indies in recent one-day internationals (ODIs), winning 11 of the last 15.

Friday's lacklustre performance against India has become a frequent display by the West Indies, but Lara has promised a positive start to the tournament.

"I am quite confident the team is going to bounce back for the game on Tuesday and you're going to see a team that every West Indian can be proud of," he said.

Warm-up preparations

Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq yesterday declared his team is ready for the competition at a press briefing at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Montego Bay.

They won their two practice games, beating Canada by 196 runs and number-one ranked side South Africa by seven wickets. Inzamam, however, isn't underestimating the strength of home.

"It's not easy to defeat the West Indies in the West Indies, but our warm-up preparations were great and we are ready for the World Cup," said Inzamam, who was a member of the squad that won in 1992.

Bowling remains a concern for the West Indies. The man who was touted to lead the attack, Jerome Taylor, didn't claim a wicket in the West Indies' two warm-up games. He was 0-34 from nine overs against Kenya and 0-31 in six overs against India. The usually economical Ian Bradshaw has also been out of form for the home side.

While the batting line-up is impressive on paper, it is, as described by Lara, "prone to chronic collapses".

Though Pakistan are without top bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, there are quality replacements in Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who won Man-of-the-Series when the West Indies toured Pakistan last December, Umar Gul and Mohammad Sami. The slow Caribbean pitches should also favour leg spin bowler Danish Kaneria.

According to Lara, the absence of Akhtar and Asif means little to the West Indies.

"Pakistan is a force to be reckoned with, with or without Shoaib and Asif, and they are still a very strong unit under Inzamam and we will be dissecting them the same way as we would if Shaiob and Asif were there," Lara pointed out.

Pakistan are also without all-rounder Abdul Razzaq and Inzamam believes too much emphasis is placed on the players they don't have instead of the ones they do.

"Pakistan have played before without these two bowlers and Asif has only been in the side for around a year," he said. "Yes it is a loss, but Pakistan have enough good bowlers to do well."

Inzamam remains reliable with the bat while Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf should give the West Indies bowlers plenty to think about.

"Pakistan is a tough team and it's going to be a tough game and I hope that we come out on top at the end of it," was Lara's synopsis.