MUMBAI: His life has come a full circle having represented Mumbai in the Indian domestic circuit but USA all-rounder Harmeet Singh doesn't want his side to put any team "on a pedestal", urging them to showcase same brand of cricket that they displayed two years ago in the T20 World Cup.
USA will take on T20 World Cup co-hosts India in their tournament-opener here on Saturday.
The USA side had shocked former champions Pakistan and put up an impressive show against India while making it to Super Eight in the last edition and Harmeet said his team aims to carry on playing the same style of cricket.
"They (India) are a formidable side. Last year (edition), the brand of cricket that we played, we plan to come out and showcase it again. We don't want to put any team on a pedestal," Harmeet told PTI in an exclusive interview.
"We want to go out there and play the best (cricket) again that we can and results will follow. When you put a bigger team ahead of us, at the end of the day in T20 cricket, you can't play with only names, you have to perform every day," he said.
The US is again placed in a group which has Pakistan, Namibia and the Netherlands apart from India.
"T20 being the shortest format, the odds can change really fast. Two bad overs here and there, can change the game completely. On a good day, (if) we start on the right foot, anything can happen," Harmeet said.
Harmeet, who played for India in the U-19 World Cup in 2012, moved to the US in early 2020. Now a key member of the side, he will be back at the hallowed turf of Wankhede Stadium where he played alongside some of the members of the current Indian team.
"Born and raised in Mumbai and especially playing at the Wankhede, all the memories come back," the 33-year-old said.
"I'm looking forward...USA has given me a lot, the opportunities which I was claiming here, now playing cricket for USA, enjoying my time, (I'm) excited for this game and hopefully I can make the most out of the opportunity," he said.
"There are a lot of batch-mates of mine who are currently playing for India and here I am now playing against them with whom I once shared the dressing room with."
"... Yeah, definitely a full circle. The best part is (that) I kept playing and kept pursuing the sport and now here I am playing (for the US)."
Harmeet said the USA team has had a "great build-up" to the World Cup.
"Build-up has been great because most of our group has been playing a lot of cricket in terms of franchise cricket, and then now coming straight to the camp," he said.
"We had a three-week camp in Sri Lanka and now we're here for almost a week before the World Cup. We practised and trained well together, we're ready and I feel we'll give it a good go at the World Cup," Harmeet added.
Apart from Harmeet, the USA side features two more 'Mumbaikars' in Shubham Ranjane and Saurabh Netravalkar, who are set to take the field against India.
"Playing at the Wankhede, it's always a special feeling. It has a special place for us in our hears. We hold a lot of memories here," Ranjane said.
"Playing for USA is prestigious, a proud feeling as a player and we are just looking forward to it, just being present and hoping to win this game."
Ranjane, who has shared dressing room with India captain Suryakumar Yadav, said there are always things to learn from him.
"I look forward to it (match) and we look up to him. We have played together back in the day and now playing against each other. There are always learning from him as well, like, as a person, as a player, more (about the) awareness of the game (that) he has," he said.
"... just going up to him, rubbing shoulders (with) each other, and we have lots memories here together. (But now) it's all about displaying against each other. It's a different thing, a different feeling. It's going to be fun."
Ranjane believes the USA side has plenty of talent in their ranks.
"Collectively, we have talent, and they (players) have been playing cricket all over the world," he said.