Dimi Mascarenhas: Hampshire are FL t20 underdogs

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Hants are T20 underdogs - Mascarenhas

Twenty20 captain Dimi Mascarenhas says Hampshire are "underdogs" going into finals day but is confident they can spring a surprise and win the trophy.

Hampshire take on Somerset in the day's second semi-final, with the winner facing either Sussex or Yorkshire.

Mascarenhas told BBC South Today: "We are probably the worst team left in the competition at finals day on form.

"But we are there now and it is all to play for. We know it's all about who can perform the best on the day."

Hampshire, who beat Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in their quarter-final to book a place in Cardiff, have a proud history in the competition.

They lifted the trophy two years ago on home soil and Saturday will be their third finals day in a row, having also lost to Somerset in the semi-finals last season.

And Mascarenhas is relishing Saturday's action at the Swalec Stadium.

"It's huge, it's very exciting and is our third one in a row and hopefully we can go one better than last year and then you never know, we can win the trophy," he said.

"It's one of those things in Twenty20. If you get on a roll then you can keep winning.

"We didn't start off the season very well this year and had a couple of losses. But we've got better and played some good cricket.

"This year we are in the second semi-final which is nice, so we can get there, soak up a bit of the atmosphere, watch some of the first game and then get ready.

"The boys are used to it now, we know what to expect and the boys are looking forward to it.

He added: "We are coming up against Somerset who are a seriously good team. Going into it we are underdogs.

"They've got to be favourites and have played better than us, to be fair, in their group. But being underdogs is not a bad thing.

"In Twenty20 any team can beat any other team on any given day. All you need are a couple of people to hit form and hopefully those two people can be in our team."

Route to finals day

Hampshire

Somerset

14 June v Sussex - no result

13 June bt Warwicks by 63 runs

18 June lost to Middlesex 6 wkts

14 June v Glos - no result

22 June lost to Kent by 3 runs

17 June bt Northants by 5 wkts

24 June bt Kent by 6 wkts

21 June v Warwicks - no result

27 June bt Middlesex by 4 wkts

22 June bt Glamorgan by 4 wkts

29 June bt Essex by 6 wkts

26 June bt Northants by 7 wkts

30 June bt Surrey by 7 wkts

29 June lost to Glos by 9 wkts

2 July bt Surrey by 19 runs

1 July lost to Worcs by 54 runs

6 July v Sussex - no result

6 July v Glamorgan - no result

8 July v Essex - no result

8 July bt Worcs by 7 wkts

25 July bt Notts by 4 wkts

24 July bt Essex by 27 runs

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