Collingwood-led team can end 35 years of hurt: Vaughan

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London, Apr 30 (ANI): Former England cricket skipper Michael Vaughan has said that Paul Collingwood-led team has the skill and power to finally end 35 years of hurt by lifting the ICC World T20 Championship.

"This is the third World Twenty20, and in the other two I never thought we had a squad good enough to compete," said Vaughan, England's most successful Test captain.

"This is the first time I've been excited about our chances. We have guys in the batting with power from one to seven. Some of them played in the IPL, which is a big plus going into a tournament like this," he added.

Vaughan said: "Maybe we're a little bit inexperienced in the bowling but it was the batting which let us down in the past. It's hard to predict T20 matches but I'd be disappointed if we don't put up a strong fight.

"Kevin Pietersen needs to have a fantastic tournament for us to go on and win. He looked more confident in Bangladesh last month after correcting a little technical fault and he looked a proper player again in the IPL," he added.

"KP and Eoin Morgan have power and then we have the experience and know-how of Collingwood - those three guys are going to be crucial. Morgan can reverse-sweep the ball, Collingwood is very adaptable and Pietersen is a superb player," The Sun reported Vaughan as saying.

"The first six overs are crucial because the ball is hard and the fielders are in," said Vaughan.

"You wouldn't start a 50-over series or an Ashes series with two new guys opening the innings. But that's what you get with Twenty20 - the selectors have freshened things up," he added.

Vaughan is banking upon the opening pair of Craig Kieswetter and Michael Lumb to get the English team off to a flying start in the tournament.

England plays the first match of the tournament against the West Indies on Monday in Group D.

The first cricket World Cup was staged in England in 1975.

But England has never won a World Cup, the ICC Champions Trophy and the World Twenty20. (ANI)