UAE players have fun during a training session on the eve of their World Cup match against defending champions India.
© AFP
India are riding high on their opening victories vs Pakistan and South Africa but the clinical performances will count for nothing when Mahendra Singh Dhon's men take on the United Arab Emirates in Perth on Saturday. Opening batsmen Shikhar Dhawan, who has been in phenomenal form in the World Cup so far, said the defending champions are in no mood to take UAE lightly.
India crushed Pakistan by 76 runs and decimated South Africa by 130 runs to all but seal a top spot in Pool B. But funny things have happened in World Cups and Dhawan, playing his first, understands that: "We are not taking UAE lightly and the team will approach this game like any other game in this World Cup." (Also read: UAE's Mumbai boy ready to take on India )
India have been in Australia for nearly three months now and have experienced the length and breadth of the country, playing in most of the big grounds. While their batsmen were in top form in the four Test matches against the hosts, the one-dayers tested their resilience in a tri-series involving the hosts and England. Dhawan, who himself shook off poor form to smash 73 in Adelaide and a career-best 137 against the Proteas, said the team would look to put their experience of the conditions to good use.
"We played on the WACA track during the tri-series against England. So we know the pitch well and we will use that experience against UAE on Saturday," said the Delhi batsman.
India are expected to make it to the last four, along with co-hosts Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The likes of skipper Dhoni and team director Ravi Shastri, however, will not let the squad take any opposition lightly. The sub-continental giants even suffered a few minor setbacks in the lead-up to Saturday's game - coach Duncan Fletcher had to return to Cape Town to attend the funeral of his father-in-law while Mohammed Shami was ruled out of the match with a mild knee problem. Even without Shami, though, Team India have the resources to keep UAE under check.
However, the minnows are not going to be intimidated. They would be especially deflated after going down to Ireland by two wickets in a tense thriller in Brisbane and would be keen to show some character against the mighty Indians. For starters, they are not scared of India's star-studded line-up.
"Yes they have a lot of big players. But we will not be intimated by their big names. We will treat it as any other game," said UAE skipper Mohammad Tauquir.
That might be easier said than done, but then, UAE would draw inspiration from Associate nations like Ireland and Netherlands (who are not playing this World Cup) and continue to have faith even against India's power players.
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