Ace batsman Ross Taylor believes New Zealand can make history by qualifying for a first World Cup final by beating co-hosts Sri Lanka on Tuesday.
The Black Caps will appear in their sixth World Cup semi-final since losing to eventual winners the West Indies in the inaugural edition held in England in 1975.
Since then New Zealand lost to England (1979), Pakistan (1992 and 1999) and Sri Lanka (2007) but Taylor feels the current team has the ability to go one step further.
"We are proud of our history of making it to the semi-finals," the 27-year-old said on Sunday.
"But this team want to make history and go one step further and make the final. We believe we can do that and we want to show it on Tuesday."
The middle-order batsman said New Zealand have learnt their lessons from a 112-run drubbing at the hands of Sri Lanka in the group stages.
"Obviously it's sudden death, we are taking lot of confidence from our last game against South africa," said Taylor of the upset 49-run win over Proteas on Friday in the quarter-finals.
"We've got an advantage that we've played Sri Lanka in the pool match and we did a few things wrong and hopefully we will rectify that in the match come Tuesday."
Taylor said New Zealand batsmen must learn from Jonathan Trott - who made 86 in England's 10-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka in Saturday's quarter-final - on how to play dangerous Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.
"I think the way Trott batted was something that we can learn from, the way he played Murali because Murali was a big factor in the way Sri Lanka beat us in the last match," said Taylor of the off-spinner who took 4-25 in Mumbai.
Taylor, who hit a brilliant 131 not out in New Zealand's win over Pakistan in the group stages, said his team was happy with their underdogs tag.
"Most of the time when New Zealand play we are the underdogs, it's something that we almost enjoy and we expect when we play. A lot of teams expect to beat us but we expect to beat them as well," said Taylor.
Taylor, who managed just 33 against Sri Lanka and 43 against South Africa, hoped his form would pick up on Tuesday.
"The main thing is to score more and more runs and help the team win, whether it's scoring 40 or 140, getting a score and putting on the pressure whether you are batting first or second."
The Black Caps will appear in their sixth World Cup semi-final since losing to eventual winners the West Indies in the inaugural edition held in England in 1975.
Since then New Zealand lost to England (1979), Pakistan (1992 and 1999) and Sri Lanka (2007) but Taylor feels the current team has the ability to go one step further.
"We are proud of our history of making it to the semi-finals," the 27-year-old said on Sunday.
"But this team want to make history and go one step further and make the final. We believe we can do that and we want to show it on Tuesday."
The middle-order batsman said New Zealand have learnt their lessons from a 112-run drubbing at the hands of Sri Lanka in the group stages.
"Obviously it's sudden death, we are taking lot of confidence from our last game against South africa," said Taylor of the upset 49-run win over Proteas on Friday in the quarter-finals.
"We've got an advantage that we've played Sri Lanka in the pool match and we did a few things wrong and hopefully we will rectify that in the match come Tuesday."
Taylor said New Zealand batsmen must learn from Jonathan Trott - who made 86 in England's 10-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka in Saturday's quarter-final - on how to play dangerous Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.
"I think the way Trott batted was something that we can learn from, the way he played Murali because Murali was a big factor in the way Sri Lanka beat us in the last match," said Taylor of the off-spinner who took 4-25 in Mumbai.
Taylor, who hit a brilliant 131 not out in New Zealand's win over Pakistan in the group stages, said his team was happy with their underdogs tag.
"Most of the time when New Zealand play we are the underdogs, it's something that we almost enjoy and we expect when we play. A lot of teams expect to beat us but we expect to beat them as well," said Taylor.
Taylor, who managed just 33 against Sri Lanka and 43 against South Africa, hoped his form would pick up on Tuesday.
"The main thing is to score more and more runs and help the team win, whether it's scoring 40 or 140, getting a score and putting on the pressure whether you are batting first or second."
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