February 23, 2025: As the much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash in the ICC Champions Trophy approaches, former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh has expressed immense confidence in India’s chances, particularly backing Virat Kohli to deliver a match-winning performance.
In an interview before the high-voltage encounter, Harbhajan pointed to Kohli’s potential to turn the game in India’s favor with a big innings. He emphasized that if Kohli were to score a century in this crucial match, it would erase all concerns about his recent struggles with the bat. Harbhajan confidently predicted, “Everyone is saying that Virat Kohli did not score runs. I am saying that Virat Kohli does not have a better chance than this. Whatever happened in the last four to five months, everything will be forgotten if tomorrow he scores a century in this match. Then the world remembers. So there is full hope for Virat, and I want to make a prediction that tomorrow is Virat’s day. Virat will score runs, and if Virat scores runs, India always wins.”
The former off-spinner also backed India as the favorites going into the encounter. According to Harbhajan, India’s balanced squad, with strong batting and bowling departments, gives them the edge. “India are favorites because their batting and bowling both are good, and also they won their last match here [Dubai], and with that experience, they will move forward. Whereas Pakistan has come to Dubai after losing in Pakistan, and they have played on better pitches, but here they will get a little slow pitch, and adjusting to a slow pitch will be difficult for them,” Harbhajan said, adding, “India is the favorite in my point of view, and India will win this match because India’s team is the best.”
Both India and Pakistan are gearing up for what promises to be an intense, high-stakes encounter. For Pakistan, it is a battle to stay alive in the tournament, while India looks to assert its dominance and extend its perfect record over Pakistan in major ICC events.
Meanwhile, former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik also weighed in on the match, declaring India as the clear favorite. However, he cautioned that the outcome of the game could be altered by a moment of brilliance from any player. “A single moment of brilliance from any player could change the outcome,” Malik stated.
With the countdown to the big game well underway, excitement is building, and cricket fans around the world eagerly await the showdown between these two cricketing giants.