NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — Prolific West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul believes the underdogs tag could work in his team’s favour as the two-time former champions set out to regain some of their past glory.

The West Indies won the first two World Cups in 1975 and 1979, becoming the undisputed kings of the one-day game, but have since struggled to make a mark on cricket’s showpiece event.

They come into the World Cup on the back of a woeful run of form, having not defeated a Test side in a one-day international since June 2009.

Chanderpaul, a veteran of 263 ODIS, was nevertheless optimistic of a good show by his side as he spoke ahead of their opening match against South Africa in New Delhi on February 24.

“We are the underdogs, no doubt,” Chanderpaul, 36, said. “We were also the underdogs when we reached the final of the Champions Trophy in 2006 in India. So that’s fine with us.”

The left-hander, who will be playing in his fifth World Cup, said his task as one of the senior players in the side would be to guide the youngsters and advise them on how to counter the spinners.

“Of course, spin will play an important role in the sub-continent. We saw that in the warm-up games. We have to be ready for these things. We have played in the sub-continent and we know what to expect.

“I know I need to be out there batting with the younger players for as long as I can. But sometimes that happens, sometimes it does not.”

Coach Ottis Gibson said he had full faith in his team going the full distance.

“We have a good team. Yes, people are not giving us a chance. That is because West Indies have not given good results in recent years.

“But that gives us an opportunity to go out there and prove everyone wrong. We can stay focused on our job and surprise a few people. We will go there with the expectation of doing very well.”

Gibson hopes his fast bowlers will make up for the absence of injured pair Fidel Edwards and Jerome Taylor.

“For the last four-five years, Fidel Edwards and Jerome Taylor have been leading our attack. You are going to struggle without them but we do have some good young fast bowlers.

“Kemar Roach is quite talented. Andre Russell is a very exciting prospect. He is a big, tall fellow and he has got some pace. Ravi Rampaul has been playing first class cricket for a long time.

“So we have a good group of bowlers. They need support and they need to be fit for a period of time to do good.”