Kingston: Hosts West Indies could become the first side to confirm a place in the Super Eights at the World Cup, when they face Zimbabwe at Sabina Park here on Monday.

West Indies had the perfect start to the first World Cup, when they prevailed over Pakistan by 54 runs in the opening group D match last Tuesday.

Events over the last few days, however, will make West Indies aware that they cannot take the Zimbabweans too lightly, or else they may be embarrassed in much the same way Ireland shamed Pakistan on Saturday.

“Everyone is trying to make a name for themselves so we cannot underestimate anyone,” opener and former captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul said.

“We have to go out, play it hard and take it to the end. We’ve been doing a lot of work, we’re well prepared. We don’t know what is going to happen in that game, but hopefully we can go out and get the win.”

“We don’t know the other players too well, so we have to look at the cricket, even though we do not always have much time to do that, but we are planning and preparing for every game.”

The Sabina Park pitch has been the topic of much consideration but Chanderpaul believes batsmen have to be more patient to score runs.

“It’s not like the Sabina Park pitches in the past,” he said. “It’s not a bad surface. It’s a decent track, but you need to work hard on it.

“It’s a bit slow, and the ball stands up a little more. It does a bit but because it doesn’t have the pace on it, you can’t really go through with the shot, and you have to play a bit more patiently.”

Zimbabwe will have to defy history to overcome West Indies. They have never beaten the hosts in a World Cup match in four attempts, and they have also lost the two one-dayers they have contested against them at Sabina Park.

TEAMS

West Indies (from): Brian Lara (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Smith, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Ian Bradshaw, Corey Collymore, Jerome Taylor, Denesh Ramdin, Devon Smith, Lendl Simmons, Daren Powell, Kieron Pollard.

Zimbabwe (from): Prosper Utseya (captain), Gary Brent, Justice Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Keith Dabengwa, Terry Duffin, Anthony Ireland, Friday Kasteni, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Christopher Mpofu, Tawanda Mupariwa, Edward Rainsford, Vusi Sibanda, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams.

Umpires: Brian Jerling (SA), Billy Bowden (NZ); TV: Simon Taufel (Aus);

Match Referee: Roshan Mahanama (SL).

Match starts: 8pm (IST).