DURBAN - Kenya's unexpected success in reaching the World Cup semifinals has left coach Sandeep Patil feeling nostalgic.
"It has yet to really sink in for the boys," Patil said yesterday as Kenya prepared for tomorrow's match against India.
Patil played for India when they upset favourites the West Indies in the1983 World Cup final in England.
"Kenya reaching the semifinals has given me the same feeling I got when we reached the final 20 years ago," he said.
"Then, our performance never really sank in until I hit the winning run against England in the semifinal," he said.
"I feel the same now."
Patil scored 51 not out as India downed England by six wickets before beating the West Indies by 43 runs in the final.
Kenya are the first non-test country to reach the semifinals, beating test sides Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh on the way.
Patil was happy the team had done themselves justice in their Super Six defeats to India and Australia, but conceded they had not come close to winning.
"We gave them a scare, yes. But we were never close to beating them. We need to play more aggressively for that."
Patil also criticised former India team-mate-turned-television commentator Navjot Sidhu for criticising his team.
He said Sidhu had forecast that the top World Cup teams would "lick Kenya like a candy."
"This is not the first time Sidhu has done this. When the South African board invited us for a tri-series [in 2001], he said we didn't deserve to play. It is good Kenya have proved Sidhu wrong."
Captain Steve Tikolo said Kenya's semifinal berth had been hard-earned.
"This is no fairytale. It is all hard work which has paid off."
Tikolo, Kenya's leading batsman, is suffering from mild fever and tonsillitis, but said he and injured team-mates Kennedy Otieno (elbow), Maurice Odumbe (hamstring) and Thomas Odoyo (groin) would all play.
