Muttiah Muralitharan believes that Sri Lanka may go into the coming World
Cup in the Caribbean as strong contenders but the 1996 victorious team from
the island nation was a better side than the current one. 
"Some experts are tipping us to surprise a few at the
World Cup and maybe even win it. I think we have a good chance but I still believe
the Sri Lanka team of 1996 was better," said Muralitharan who will be playing
in his fourth Cup.
"When we won the World Cup in 1996, batting-wise the team
was more experienced, had flair, everything was there in that team in '96,"
the record-breaking off-spinner wrote on a website.
"It's difficult for people to say we are better now because I played in
both eras and the batting was much stronger then.
"This team now has a better bowling attack than what we had that time
but we had a better balance in the '96 world cup because there were four spinners
in the side and only two fast bowlers," he added.
The Sri Lankan, who is the world's second highest wicket-taker
after Australian Shane Warne, said the current team did not solely depend on
him for Cup success.
"We are not a one-man team. To win a World Cup the batters
have to do well and then the bowlers chip in. That's the way you win the World
Cup," he said.
Muralitharan said being a senior player, he would carry more responsibility
and pressure.
"I am more experienced now but I was still experienced then, just that
the pressure (of expectation) was less.
"I was 22-years-old at the time when the captain would say 'do this' but
now it's up to me to work things out myself and the pressure is on me more.
"I enjoy playing under pressure, though, because I am used to it. If there
is no pressure you are not going to do well," he wrote.
He also said the World Cup would have more score for the fast
bowlers than the spinners.
"The rules have changed now with the 20 over power plays coming. So the
spinners go out of the game, you can't play two or three spinners any more.
"We have only one spinner at the moment. So fast bowlers have more chance
(of success) because they bowl in the power play," he said.
Muralitharan said Sanath Jayasuriya was another player
like him who had come a long way from the 1996 success.
"He is a different type of player now because then he didn't have any
pressure or any fear to perform. He was told by the captain (Arjuna Ranatunga)
to 'just put the ball out of the park, it doesn't matter if you get out for
one or nought because we have experienced batsmen to come in'.
"Sanath was then an unknown player and bowlers didn't
know what to do. Now, people know how strong he is, how good he is, where his
weaknesses are. They will work it out."
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