India’s veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has tipped India to beat Pakistan in the upcoming final of the ICC Champions Trophy at The Oval on Sunday (June 18).
The defending champions, on Thursday (June 15), thrashed Bangladesh in the second semifinal to set-up a mouth-watering clash against the arch-rivals. Both the teams have already met once in this tournament when India had thrashed Pakistan by a whopping margin of 124 runs in the tournament-opener. And although Pakistan has hit the top gear since that hammering, Harbhajan feels the Virat Kohli-led side is ‘too experienced’ for the Men in Green.
“The stage is set for the final and it doesn’t get any bigger than India taking on Pakistan. I feel India is too experienced a side for Pakistan and we should come out winners at the end of it all,” Harbhajan wrote in his column for the ICC.
Since the defeat against India, Pakistan registered impressive wins over Sri Lanka and South Africa in the group stage before thoroughly outplaying hosts England in the semifinal. But despite Pakistan’s current form, Harbhajan said the Sarfraz Ahmed-led side is well behind India in terms of talent as well as experience.
“The fact that we’ve had a host of players click in the run-up to this final will be our biggest advantage. The number of match-winners in this side is something that will give Virat Kohli and his men the utmost confidence on Sunday. Pakistan don’t match up if you’re making a comparison to India. In all departments, be it talent or experience, we are ahead by some distance,” wrote the off-spinner.
“India also has a great head-to-head record against Pakistan in ICC tournaments, so that will surely play on everyone’s mind. India’s team is young, confident and will be raring to go on Sunday at The Oval and Pakistan will have to put in one hell of a shift against them. I wish both the sides the best, but I just feel India will have too much in their tank for our arch rivals,” he added.
He also said that the Indian players hitting the top-form just before the final is best for India’s confidence. Right from batting, bowling, to fielding, everything has clicked for Team India in the tournament and their confidence will be surely sky-high going into the final.
“I think Rohit Sharma and Kohli have hit form at just the right time for India. You want to go into a final in the best form possible, feeling confident. It’s the same with our bowlers. Jasprit Bumrah has been very consistent with his performances for the team,” he said.