West Indies skipper Chris Gayle has warned India that his side could "sting like a bee" in the one-day series starting next week in the Caribbean following their agonising Twenty20 World Cup semifinal defeat to Sri Lanka.
"We might fly like butterflies but we can sting like a bee," said Gayle, mocking at Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's assertion that his side would look to compensate for their T20 World Cup debacle with series-win in the Caribbean.
Dhoni, before he left for the Caribbean, had vowed to bring cheer back to the Indian fans and triumph in the four-match one-day series, the first one starting at Kingston, Jamaica on June 26.
Dhoni has more or less reiterated his desire in Kingston after his arrival at the Norman Mailey airport on Thursday.
"In 20/20, once you lose the initiative at the start, it's very difficult to come back... so that's one big difference when it comes to T20 and 50-over cricket," said Dhoni.
"The team that plays consistent cricket over the series will come out as winners. We have to play consistent cricket and I think that will be the key for us," he said.
The one point though on which both Gayle and Dhoni appeared to be sharing the same platform was the reaction of the fans.
"I hope this place in the semi-finals would bring the smile back on the face of our fans. Though let me tell you they are very hard to please and want us to win at all times. I can only say to our fans: keep supporting and stop
cursing," said Gayle.
Dhoni too has more than once pointed to the emotional nature of millions of Indian cricket fans.
"Our fans are very emotional...they don't take to defeat lightly. (After defeat), if they don't boo then that would be abnormal. When we lost the 2007 World Cup, they even did my antim sanskar (last rites)," the Indian had said.
Indians are missing four of their key players in the series -- Sachin Tendulkar has opted out owing to finger injury while Zaheer Khan, Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina are also missing for injury reasons.
The West Indies would be sweating over the fitness of fast bowler Fidel Edwards who pulled out of the semi-final clash against Sri Lanka with a back injury at the Oval on Friday.
After the opening match on June 26, the two team will play in Jamaica (June 28) and St. Lucia (July 3 and 5).
