WEST INDIES CAPTAIN BRIAN LARA has underscored the importance of his side winning the ongoing DLF Cup tri-nation series, as they prepare to defend their International Cricket Council's (ICC) Champions Trophy title next month.

"I think it's very important for us to reach the final here," Lara said ahead of today's match against Australia (started at 1:30 a.m. Eastern Caribbean Time).

The Windies final preliminary match is against India on Wednesday. The series is being played at the 8 000-seat Kinrara Oval in Kuala Lumpur.

The Board for Cricket Control in India has also the three-nation tournament in Malaysia, spending about US$1 million (BDS$2 million) on setting up a floodlit temporary stadium in the football-crazy country.

"We're playing two of the best teams in the world. We are rated much lower than they are and it is important for us morally, for confidence, to get to the final, to beat one of the teams that are here."

West Indies have had a mixed start to the tournament, losing to Australia by 78 runs in the opening game before returning to beat India by 29 runs under the Duckworth/Lewis method in the second game.

Lara said winning the tournament would serve as a boost, especially with the Champions Trophy, which they won in England two years ago. This year's edition will be played in the cities of Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Jaipur and Mumbai – four hot spots in cricket-mad India – from October 7 and November 5.

"For us, to win is of the utmost importance with the ICC Champions Trophy just around the corner," he said.

"When we heard about this tournament, we wanted to be here because in the first part of the ICC tournament we will be qualifying with the likes of Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, then going into tough opposition.

"So playing India and Australia here first is very important to us and getting to the final and winning it will augur well for us." (CMC/PS)