[MHRAM]

Seldom have we been in the second round of major tournaments.

Never have we even played a semi-final. This is our first semi-final and hopefully first of many to come.

Now I know to some this is "just another semi-final" but it is more than that my friends. Reasons why I feel this match is so important for us:

1) Winning this match means going to the finals. Now people forget the name of the semi-finalists but the finalists are almost always remembered. They say that the hardest game of a tournament is the semi-finals and rightly so. This is the moment when your focus is off because you are thinking about the dreamy final and winning it. This is what distracts teams in semi-finals. So often did we see some of the best sides being knocked out in the Semis despite being bossy in the group stages. And we never played a final of a world tourney. Just imagine the luxury of playing a final of a world tournament? Semis and quarters are meh, but playing an actual final with the whole world looking at you? That my friend is something different. If you lose in a final, well people will be like "you won our hearts", lose in a semis, people won't remember you.

2) Reimburse the fact that we truly belong: When kenya played the Semis in 03 WC people said it was a one off. Well it really was. We fans know that this is not a one-off. And that we can get better and better. However, a lot of fans will look at it as a fluke. They will be like: "well you got here because of rain" etc. etc. But if we win this no one will bat an eye. No one will argue about BD being a minnow

3) Showing the world that we can beat India: Now India lately have been getting the better of us in ICC events. We have lost to them in the last 5 matches in ICC events. The record stands 5-1 in ICC events. The last time we beat them in an ICC event was 10 years ago, we have been winless ever since. Now beating India in a SF is big big deal for anyone. If you can beat India in a pressure match, people will take you seriously. Heck no one gave Lanka a chance until they beat India. Only then people took note of Lanka's potential batting ability. And we know things with India haven't been great. Our fans have been going through a lot lately and it would really cheer them up if we won this match. Oh, and if we beat India here guaranteed a lot of series with India in India in the years to come that I can guarantee.

4) Show the world we can perform when the pressure is on: Yes, we have been guilty of undperforming when the pressure is on. I know we haven't been in too many knockouts but now that we are in on its time to show we can win a semi-final, and the we wont just fall like a pack of cards as always

So as you all can see, this match truly is an important match for us by all means. Win this match and the whole world will be at our feet. The whole world will respect us.

If we lose we can't be too dissatisfied with our boys because they exceeded expectations, but if we win it will be huge. So I hope the boys are going to give their 100%.