Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has issued a warning to the Indian cricket team to be cautious of Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman in their upcoming Champions Trophy match. India and Pakistan will renew their historic cricket rivalry in Dubai on February 23, and ahead of the highly anticipated clash, Harbhajan stressed that Fakhar’s experience could be a game-changer.
“Fakhar has that experience, and he can take the game away from India,” Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel.
Fakhar Zaman has been a formidable force against India in ODIs, with a remarkable record. In six matches, the left-handed batsman has scored 234 runs, averaging 46.80, with an explosive strike rate of 82.39.
The two teams last met in the 2017 Champions Trophy final at The Oval, where Fakhar’s performance proved to be the difference between the sides. He delivered a match-winning knock of 114 runs from 106 balls, propelling Pakistan to a total of 338/4. India’s chase faltered under pressure, leading to a crushing 180-run defeat.
Pakistan has the upper hand in Champions Trophy encounters, having won three out of the five matches they’ve played against India in the tournament.
As India heads into the Champions Trophy, they are in red-hot form, having recently swept the ODI series against England 3-0. In contrast, Pakistan has struggled with consistency and form, recently suffering losses in the ODI Tri-nation series involving South Africa and New Zealand.
Despite their recent challenges, Pakistan showed promise by chasing down a record 353-run target against South Africa in Karachi. However, they were easily beaten by New Zealand in the final, further highlighting their inconsistent form.
India will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on Thursday, before taking on Pakistan in what promises to be an electrifying encounter on February 23.