Harbhajan Singh has a simple job for Mohammed Shami as India gets set to face Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final—a closely watched rematch of the 2023 ODI World Cup final. His word is straightforward: get rid of Travis Head early and prevent him from turning into India’s bane once again. Head was the mastermind behind Australia’s six-wicket win in the World Cup final in Ahmedabad, scoring a match-winning inning that shattered India’s title ambitions.
“First thing is, forget the fear of Travis Head. Try and forget Travis Head. Shami saab, bahut ho gaya Travis Head ka kaam, now don’t let him score runs,” Harbhajan Singh implored on Star Sports.
He also warned India against Australia’s risky middle order, especially Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis, who are famous for their hard-hitting stroke play. “They have Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis—these guys trade in sixes and fours. Don’t allow them to score at a quick rate. Thirdly, it’s a knockout match, and you don’t have to do too much, just play the way you have played till now,” Harbhajan suggested.
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India has been dominant throughout the tournament, finishing the group stage unbeaten. Their campaign began with a six-wicket win over Bangladesh, courtesy of a brilliant unbeaten century from Shubman Gill and a five-wicket haul from Mohammed Shami. Against Pakistan, Virat Kohli’s classy century guided India to another comfortable chase, sealing a six-wicket victory.
The last group-stage game against New Zealand was a test of India’s strength, but Shreyas Iyer’s 79 and Varun Chakravarthy’s five-wicket haul guaranteed another victory, securing their position in the semi-finals.
Australia, however, has maintained an inconsistent tournament, with flashes of genius alongside stumbles. They began with a riveting chase against England, spearheaded by Josh Inglis’s unbeaten 120 in Lahore. Rain, though, derailed their momentum, prompting abandonments against Afghanistan and South Africa.
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All these notwithstanding, their depth and resilience helped them earn a place in the semi-finals. While the two sides line up for yet another high-intensity encounter, India’s task will be to nullify Head early on, and Australia’s task will be to counter India’s scorching form.
