Harbhajan named among eight Ambassadors of Champions Trophy

April 13 (CRICKETNMORE) - Veteran Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was named one of the eight ambassadors for the ICC Champions Trophy which will be staged from June 1 to 18 in England and Wales.

Apart from Harbhajan, Bangladesh’s Habibul Bashar, Ian Bell of England, Shahid Afridi of Pakistan, Shane Bond of New Zealand, Australia’s Mike Hussey, Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka and Graeme Smith of South Africa were named as ambassadors with exactly 50 days to go before the first ball will be bowled in the opening game between England and Bangladesh at The Oval.

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Harbhajan, who was a member of the India side which shared the 2002 trophy with Sri Lanka in Colombo, said he feels honoured.

"To be appointed as an Ambassador for a global event in which India will be the defending champion is one of the highs for me as a cricketer and something to be really proud of," Harbhajan was quoted as saying by the ICC in a statement.

"I am confident that team India will achieve greater heights and am sure that millions of fans back home will be following the side's fortunes."