By Karan Agrawal 
Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh reckons that India will have the upper hand in the much-awaited clash against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy on February 23. The Rohit Sharma-led side has been in good form in ODI cricket since 2023, having only lost a series against Sri Lanka after winning the T20 World Cup 2024. India has won 12 out of 13 ODIs played at home, with the only loss coming against Australia in the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup. If we talk about India’s record against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, then the latter leads with three wins in five games, the latest of which came in the final of the last edition of the Champions Trophy in 2017.
Expert’s Corner
Having said that, the Champions Trophy is the only ICC tournament in which Pakistan has more wins against India compared to 50 over and T20 World Cups, where the defending champions have won just one match against the arch-rivals. Harbhajan Singh, a man who has been part of many India-Pakistan games, believes that India will have the upper hand in the all-important clash on February 23 in Dubai. Speaking to ANI, Harbhajan Singh said, ” The hype is being created regarding the India-Pakistan match…the team that is going to adjust better with the pitch will get a better result…India has an advantage; it will play all its matches in Dubai, so it will have an idea about the pitch and conditions. Overall, I feel the Indian team is better than the Pakistan team, and the result will be in favour of India…”
The Opportunity
One of the biggest concerns for India leading into the Champions Trophy is the fitness of India’s fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. Talking about the availability of Bumrah for the multination tournament, Harbhajan said, “When a player like Bumrah is not playing, someone else has to step up and take responsibility. No one can truly replace Bumrah, but his absence creates an opportunity for others to showcase their abilities. Players like Arshdeep and Shami have a chance to make an impact and prove themselves.”
The Schedule
India will kick off their Champions Trophy Campaign on February 20 with the match against Bangladesh. The two teams faced each other in the semi-final when the last edition of the tournament took place in 2017, with India winning the match comprehensively by nine wickets. The match against Bangladesh will be followed by clashes against Pakistan and New Zealand on February 23 and March 2, respectively.