India will approach Saturday's World Cup match against the United Arab Emirates in Perth with the same intensity as they do against established teams, key batsman Shikhar Dhawan said.
The Pool B game between the defending champions and the minnows at the WACA ground is being seen as a huge mismatch, but the left-handed opener emphasised the importance of taking it seriously.
"We need to keep the momentum going," said Dhawan, the hero of India's emphatic wins over arch-rivals Pakistan by 76 runs and against South Africa by 130 runs in their two matches so far.
"We will approach the match the same way as we have done for other games and play it as we have been playing all along. We will play with the same fighting spirit and keep the same intensity.
"You can't afford to take any side lightly at the international level."
The UAE have lost both their matches, going down to Zimbabwe by four wickets before being edged out by two wickets by Ireland in a thriller in Brisbane on Wednesday.
Dhawan's match-winning knocks of 73 off 76 balls against Pakistan in Adelaide and a glorious 137 off 146 against the Proteas in front of more than 86,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground provided a batting feast.
Having had an ordinary tour of Australia in both the Tests and the tri-series prior to the World Cup, Dhawan attributed the turnaround to hard work and learning from past mistakes.
"The key is to stay calm and work hard," he said. "Look, it is very natural that your confidence increases when you play two good back-to back knocks.
"I have now got used to the bounce and enjoy playing my shots."
Dhawan said the team will miss coach Duncan Fletcher, who had to fly to South Africa to attend the funeral of his father-in-law and will not be available for Saturday's game.
"We will all miss Duncan," he said. "But we will still do the same routines at training. I am sure he must have discussed these matters with the support staff."
He added that former India captain Ravi Shastri's role as team director has been very beneficial for the players, especially him.
"Ravi's presence has been invaluable," he said. "He gave me support and confidence when I needed it and stood beside me. I think that has helped me return to form."
Dhawan, who has a home in Melbourne where he lives with his British-Indian wife and three children, said Australia was one of the best places to play cricket.
"Australia is a beautiful country, but I hardly get time to spend time with my family here," he said. "And the support you get from Indian fans at matches is so amazing.
"It is great to play in front of so many people. I am certain we get an edge over other teams because of the support we get."
Source: AFP
