India showed how to play T20, clueless Pakistan no match for us: Harbhajan Singh

India Today

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh feels Pakistan is no match for India after their crushing seven-wicket defeat against the Men in Blue in the Asia Cup 2025. India chased down the target of 129 in 15.5 overs against the arch-rivals and dedicated their resounding victory to the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the Indian armed forces,

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00:00joining us from around the country. We really want to see the celebrations that are happening

00:05at the moment. What is it that people have to say after India's dominance that they have shown on

00:10the cricket field versus Pakistan? But also, I'm told we are joined by another legend of Indian

00:15cricket in Harbhajan Singh, a hero of many previous India-Pakistan encounters. Harbhajan,

00:21thank you so much for speaking to India today. Firstly, I can't think of one single word to

00:28describe this particular victory. It is special, of course, because it's come versus Pakistan. If I

00:33was to ask you, how would you put it in a word or a sentence for us?

00:40Wow, much needed victory. I must say, you know, before the game, sentiments were really different.

00:50And of course, a lot of people were saying this game, whether they should have played this game

00:57or not. But in the end, it's a big, big victory for all the Indians. That's all I can say. And

01:04well done to Team India. I think they played terrific cricket. They showed, you know, what

01:11they have in them. And they were the best team. And they showed, you know, this is how India plays

01:18cricket. Okay. Is it also fair to say, looking at the performance of the two teams, of course,

01:27winning and losing is part of the sport. But here, there was a big gulf. Is this also something

01:33that came to light or was made apparent, which is something that we've discussed previously as well,

01:38that there's a big difference between where the Indian T20 team is and where the Pakistani T20 team is?

01:44Oh, 100 percent. Indian team, it is showing, you know, this is how we play this format. And of course,

01:56there's a huge, huge difference when we talk about India or Pakistan team. There's a huge difference.

02:02You know, even though we also have a very, very young team, but even in our young team, there are a lot

02:08of match winners, someone like Abhishek and Suryak Maharyadav, Hardik Pandeyakshar, or you name, any of

02:16those talented young guys, they can win a game on their own, on their given day. And whereas, looking at

02:24the Pakistan side, when they were batting, it looked like they didn't have any clue, you know, what to do

02:30against the Indian spinners. I think Team India played terrific cricket. They held their nerves and they

02:37bowled according to their plan and got them out very cheaply. And, you know, while batting, India was

02:43obviously on the song, Abhishek started really well. And from there onwards, Tilak and Surya was, was the

02:50key to finish this game.

02:51Okay. You know, 127 was never going to be enough for the Pakistan team. We all knew that because India

03:02has such a great batting lineup. Yet, India could have cruised to that total. Yet, the Indian team came

03:08out all guns blazing. Do you think it was an effort from the Indian team to send a message out to Pakistan?

03:14Well, I think Team India have got, you know, their own standard. You know, that's how they play cricket. You

03:23know, T20 format is all about going after the bowlers and, and of course, at the same time, taking that

03:30responsibility while you're there in the middle. And that's exactly what Surya and Tilak showed in the end. You

03:36know, they, they were right there, you know, looking to finish the game. And of course, Abhishek Sharma was, you

03:43know, you know, that's what we know of him. You know, when he bat for 10 odd deliveries, he's going

03:49to get you those quick 30, 40 runs. And, you know, I would, I would have liked to see him bat a little

03:55longer to finish this game even more early. But, you know, this is the brand of Indian cricket. You

04:03know, this is how they play aggressive, bold, and of course, taking everything in their stride and

04:10looking to win from any position, any situation. Okay. Okay. Harbhajan, stay on with us. We want to

04:15discuss a little bit more with you when it comes to other performance with the bat and the ball. But

04:20we've still got Harbhajan Singh with us live on our broadcast. Harbhajan, we'll continue our chain of

04:25questions, looking at the performances of the two team. Now, because, you know, we heard from the fans

04:30just a short while ago, Harbhajan. These were fans who were keen to watch the game. But we also know

04:35there were enough fans who were boycotting this particular match. There could be a, I don't

04:40know, 10%, 20%, 30%, who knows, even 50% people in the country may not have seen this game. But

04:45going by those visuals, is it fair to say that 100% would be celebrating right now?

04:54Well, I think every time India win, there is a celebration. And of course, you know, this win

05:00is an important one. And of course, for all those people, you know, I can say who lost their life.

05:11And of course, it's a very difficult for me to answer, you know, how or what it takes to be there,

05:22you know, and do something for those people. At least as a player, you can do is just go out there

05:27when you're representing your country, make sure you try to win each and every game. And when you

05:32win against Pakistan, it's always a big, big game and big celebration. I hope, you know, people will

05:38celebrate this game.

05:41Okay, you're a spinner. We're lucky to have you live with us at the moment, because the star for India

05:47was not one, not two, but three spinners on the day. Yes, Varun Chakravarti may not have been

05:52as successful in terms of wicket, as we saw for Kuldeep Yadav or Akshar Patel, but yet the three

05:59of them dominated. In fact, 13 overs in all were bowled by Indian spinners. Not only did they pick

06:05up wickets, they ensured that the economy was also below five. That's outstanding. And I'm talking

06:09about all spinners combined. Do you think that's the real strength of this Indian T20I team? More so

06:16in these conditions to have a spinning trio like the one in Kuldeep Yadav, Akshar Patel, Varun

06:23Chakravarti?

06:27Most definitely. I think three of them, they are different bowlers. They bowl in different pace and

06:33of course, with different variations. And it's so good to see Team India having those three bowlers

06:41who are not just the bowlers, but wicket takers. You know, whoever comes who, you know, whoever comes

06:47in the attack, they look to take wickets rather than contain the batsmen. That's what I think is the

06:52mindset they are all in. And Akshar Patel, he's been an unsung hero. We don't really talk about him. He's,

06:59he was phenomenal today as well, taking those two important wickets early on and putting the brakes on

07:04their runs. And of course, Kuldeep, he's, he's been showing the metal for many years now. And, and on top

07:11of it, Varun Chakravarti is still a mystery for, uh, most of the batters, uh, in international

07:16arena. So good to have, uh, three different spinners, uh, who are doing the job and winning

07:21game for India.

07:22Rajan, um, the man of the match, I believe it will be a close call. Uh, we yet to know who

07:29the man of the match will be. It could be a Surya Kumar Yadav. It could be a Kuldeep, uh,

07:34Yadav there, but whoever is the man of the match, the best birthday gift that the captain could

07:39have asked for. Today is Surya Kumar Yadav's birthday and this win comes with it.

07:45Well, uh, I wish him, uh, all the luck and I hope he continue to win game for team India.

07:51And, uh, this is a big, big, uh, win. Uh, you know, I, I wish him all the luck and I hope

07:58team India plays well and, uh, bring the cup back home.

08:02Harbhajan, a short while ago, we had Mr. Gavaskar join us live and I'd asked him the same

08:06question. I'm going to ask you too. He was of the opinion that yes, because I asked him that,

08:10that death bowling is an issue other than Bumrah, you don't have anyone. He said, yes,

08:15maybe for the games coming up, we might look at that. What are your thoughts on that? Does

08:20India need another death bowler alongside Bumrah? And that's the only problem area at the moment

08:25for this team that's dominating otherwise?

08:27Well, I think, uh, this was one of those days, uh, where, uh, the plan didn't click in the

08:35end. Uh, I think, uh, on such wicket, uh, you need to have three spinners. Uh, you can't

08:40really have, uh, too many of us bowlers on wicket like this, uh, because I don't think

08:44they're going to finish their quota. So having spinner in your unit will provide you wickets,

08:49not just the dot balls. So I think, uh, uh, this was one award game, uh, where Hardik went

08:54for a couple of sixes in the last, uh, but, uh, uh, you know, in the end, what matter is

09:00what your spinner did in the middle, uh, it didn't hurt you in the later part, uh, even

09:04if you went for 15, 20 runs, uh, uh, in the last two overs or so. So, uh, it's okay. We,

09:10uh, we need to address this as, uh, I mean, um, uh, Hardik needs to address this and I'm sure

09:17he'll be back, uh, with the bang and, uh, take those important wickets and bowl well in

09:21the end. Okay. Uh, you say that this was just one of those days where this, uh, you know,

09:27issue really cropped up. Otherwise you think this Indian team is looking very good. So just

09:32an extension to that question. Do you really think any other team in this tournament can

09:37challenge this Indian team? Because Pakistan many thought could be that, that one team

09:41that could run India close, even though this match, India started as the overwhelming favorites,

09:46but anyone else against this Indian team stands a chance. I think Afghanistan is, uh, probably

09:56the team, uh, they know these conditions better than any team. Uh, they play a lot of, uh, their

10:01cricket in, uh, in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. And, uh, of course they also have some mystery

10:08spinners in them and, uh, they play on such tracks. So I think Pakistan, uh, was a team, uh,

10:15which, uh, which could have challenged, uh, different teams, but not Indian, Indian team.

10:20But, uh, if at all, I have to name one team, uh, it could be Afghanistan who could challenge,

10:25uh, more than any team, uh, to India.

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