Gros Islet, April 29 (IANS) India might have been termed the favourites to win World Twenty20 but their captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is not taking their opening match against debutants Afghanistan lightly.

The World Twenty20 kicks off here Friday and Afghanistan team, with their country’s turbulent past, has generated quite an interest here. The team notched up a five-wicket win against Ireland Tuesday and Dhoni knows his boys cannnot afford to be complacent in a format where every team has a chance to create an upset.

‘I would not consider our opening match against Afghanistan as a practice game,’ Dhoni said in St.Lucia.

‘I don’t take my opponents lightly. At the end of the day you have to win whichever team you play. I don’t know much about them. It is good in a way because if we know too much about a side, then you are thinking too much about them. However, our preparation will remain the same as if you are playing the best opponent in world cricket.’

‘At the end of the day, you are representing India and you have to be at your best when you turn up on the field.’

India will be without Virender Sehwag, out due to a shoulder injury, but Dhoni is not mulling on the absence of their star opener. Sehwag has been replaced by Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings teammate Murali Vijay and the captain is hoping that he will live up to the expectations.

‘It (injury) is part and parcel of cricket. Players get injured but at the end of the day we have best possible replacements. We just hope that we won’t miss them on the field and people who have come as replacements would step up to the occasion and perform.’

Dhoni also backed an out-of-form Yuvraj Singh and said it’s just a matter of time that the Punjab player will return to his big hitting ways.

‘He (Yuvraj) bats at number four and he can easily play the big shots. There aren’t enough grounds in the world that are big enough for him not to clear,’ Dhoni said.

‘These big hitters have a big impact on the game. Somebody like Kieron Pollard or (Andrew) Symonds are the kind of players who can take the game away from the opponents in three or four overs. It is a big stage for him and, as we have seen of him, he loves challenges.’

The Indian captain said his team is keyed up for the challenge here.

‘Right now we are keen to play the games here (St Lucia). We are not looking too far. It is the not first time that we are touring the West Indies. So we know what the conditions would be like and are mentally prepared for it,’ Dhoni said.

‘We have a couple of days before we play the first game. It is important to get the most out of it. We have to adapt to the conditions here and be prepared for the matches ahead,’ Dhoni said.