Harbhajan Singh backs India to beat Pakistan in Champions Trophy

Harbhajan Singh backs India to beat Pakistan in Champions Trophy
16 Feb 2025

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has revealed his predictions for the upcoming Champions Trophy match between India and Pakistan.

The much-anticipated game will be played on February 23 in Dubai.

Despite the fierce rivalry between the two cricketing giants, Harbhajan has cautioned fans to not expect a high-octane encounter as he feels there is a huge gap between the two teams.

Here's more.

Harbhajan labels India-Pakistan match as 'overhyped'
Match anticipation

Harbhajan has called the upcoming India-Pakistan match "overhyped" due to a perceived gap in performance between the two sides.

On his YouTube channel, he said, "We will discuss the overhyped match between India and Pakistan. Yes, it is overhyped because there is nothing in it."

Singh went on to add, "India is a strong team. Pakistan is inconsistent."

Harbhajan highlights India's superior form ahead of Champions Trophy
Team performance

Harbhajan highlighted the contrasting forms of the two teams ahead of the Champions Trophy.

He said India, under Rohit Sharma's captaincy, had recently whitewashed England 3-0 in an ODI series.

Meanwhile, Pakistan lost on their home soil in an ODI Tri-nation series to South Africa and New Zealand.

This difference in form is one of the reasons behind Harbhajan's prediction for the match.

Harbhajan predicts a 1-sided game in India's favor
Game prediction

Harbhajan expects a one-sided game in India's favor, considering what he believes is Pakistan's underprepared team.

He said, "I think the Pakistan team is undercooked. Apart from Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, there are not many batters."

He added, "I feel it will be a one-sided game. I don't think there will be much entertainment. I think in this contest, India is far ahead."

Harbhajan questions Pakistan's batting lineup against India
Batting analysis

Harbhajan also expressed doubts over Pakistan's ability to put up a strong fight against India, considering their batting lineup.

He pointed out that Babar Azam, one of their main batters, has an average of just 31 against India.

He also mentioned Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman's averages against India as 25 and 46 respectively.

This analysis only strengthens his prediction of a one-sided game in India's favor.