Champions Trophy: Harbhajan Predicts Dominance of India Over Pakistan

New Delhi, Feb 16 (NationPress) Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh asserted that the eagerly awaited showdown between the Rohit Sharma-led team and Pakistan in the Champions Trophy is likely to be a one-sided match, with the Men in Blue holding a significant advantage over their rivals.

The two teams are set to face off at the Dubai International Stadium on February 23. Prior to this highly anticipated clash, Harbhajan described the match as “overhyped” due to Pakistan’s lackluster performance in the recently concluded Tri-Nation Series against New Zealand and South Africa.

Pakistan endured two defeats against New Zealand—first during the league phase and later in the final—played at home in Lahore and Karachi, which are among the venues for the Champions Trophy. Their sole victory came against South Africa while chasing a target of 353 in Karachi earlier this week.

“The match between India and Pakistan is overhyped because there is little to suggest it will be competitive. India is a very robust team, while Pakistan recently fell to New Zealand on home ground. Pakistan lacks consistency, and when you analyze the statistics of the players from both teams, the disparity becomes evident,” Harbhajan stated on his YouTube channel.

The former cricketer emphasized the difficulties faced by Babar Azam, Pakistan’s star batsman, during the Tri-Nation Series, labeling the Mohammad Rizwan-led squad as “inexperienced”.

“I believe that statistics from previous matches can be misleading, and the future cannot be foretold. However, as a prediction, the differences between the two teams are substantial. The Indian team appears mature, while Pakistan seems inexperienced. They rely heavily on Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, and their bowling attack is also out of form,” the veteran cricketer remarked.

“Babar Azam’s batting average against India is just 31, while Rizwan’s is 25. Although Fakhar Zaman has a commendable average of 46 against India, he is their only opener capable of turning the game,” Harbhajan added.

He further pointed out the poor averages of Faheem Ashraf (12.5) and Saud Shakeel (8) against India. In contrast, he praised the recent performances of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Axar Patel, and KL Rahul in ODIs.

“On the other hand, India is a formidable side with Rohit, Gill, and Axar Patel in excellent form. Kohli scored a half-century in the third ODI against England, and while he may not be at his peak, I expect him to perform well in the Champions Trophy. KL Rahul is also in good shape. Their bowling is also performing strongly,” he noted.

As Pakistan prepares for their tournament opener against New Zealand on February 19, Harbhajan anticipates a heavy defeat for Pakistan, similar to their recent losses in the Tri-Nation Series.

“New Zealand will likely dominate Pakistan in the opening match of the tournament. They have figured out how to handle Pakistan. I firmly believe that the encounter between India and Pakistan will be remarkably one-sided as India is significantly stronger,” the 44-year-old commented.

Before concluding his video, Harbhajan highlighted the impressive batting averages of Indian players against Pakistan: Kohli (52), Shreyas Iyer (67), Rohit (51), and Hardik Pandya (69). He also noted that Indian bowlers have similar successful statistics against Pakistan.

In their last encounter, India triumphed over Pakistan by nine runs in the 2024 T20 World Cup held in New York. Their most recent ODI clash in the 2023 World Cup saw India defeat Pakistan by seven wickets in Ahmedabad.