India Beat Bangladesh By Nine Wickets In ICC Champions Trophy

"During its last pool match against Sri Lanka, another must-win game, Pakistan looked dead and buried in its run-chase, but Sri Lanka could not land the knock-out blow with catches going down".

The star batsman has been in lip-smacking form.

Team India, the defending champions, registered their place in the Champions Trophy final after registering resounding nine-wicket win over Bangladesh in the second semi-final to set up another mouth-watering, high-octane clash with Pakistan in the finals on Sunday. Ali is a wicket-taker and the reason for our wins is that he comes in the middle period and takes wickets.

Pakistan's defeat to India came at a hefty price as speedster Wahab Riaz was ruled out of the tournament with an ankle injury he sustained during the match.

This will be the first time India and Pakistan will contest a Champions Trophy final and Kohli said expectations are bound to be sky high, but pressure is one thing his team has learnt to live with. He bowled for considerable amount of time at the nets.

Azhar said: "He bowled without any problem".

India and Pakistan also played a best-of-three final in the Independence Cup in Bangladesh in 1998 which India won 2-1.

Hasan paid tribute to the influence of Pakistan bowling coach Azhar Mahmood, himself a vastly experienced former worldwide seam-bowling all-rounder who also spent several seasons in English county cricket, notably with Oval-based Surrey.

Even veteran cricketer, Virender Sehwag has trolled the Pakistani cricket team for the coincidence.

De Villiers, who has befriended Kohli through playing in the same Royal Challengers Bangalore team in the Indian Premier League, says the India skipper has mellowed down the years and the anger that sometimes surfaced has been replaced by a more jocular personality.

As per statistics, India have lost the very next game after winning against Bangladesh in a major multi-side tournament on as many as 10 occasions while the game was tied on one occasion.

Amir, who took two wickets, including that of all-time batting great Sachin Tendulkar, when Pakistan beat India at Centurion in the 2009 Champions Trophy, starred with both bat and ball in the virtual quarter-final victory over Sri Lanka in Cardiff on Monday. "They ve beaten sides that looked really strong against them".

However, selectors have opted to rest opener Rohit Sharma and seamer Jasprit Bumrah both of whom played in Thursday's semi-final.

"We have to [attack], we've got no other option", Arthur told cricket.com.au.

"These are all talks and I'm sure these guys are jealous".

Azhar hoped The Oval will help seam and swing bowling.

But Kohli, understandably confident in his own team added, "I don t know there s much that we need to change".