While India start as favourites, only a fool will write off the mercurial Pakistan. In fact, if reports are to be believed, around Rs 2,000 crore will be on stake for Sunday's Champion's Trophy final, according to estimates by the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF). "For us it'll just be nearly a clincher for us in terms of the brand of cricket we want to play, where we want to take the team".
Pakistan have managed to bounce back in this tournament, defeating South Africa and Sri Lanka in the group stages and England in the semi-finals to book a berth in the final.
But Kohli was adamant that he valued the all-round balance Pandya offers and suggested that, if India continued to invest in him, they would be rewarded with "a match-winning performance" in a "crisis". From then on, the Sarfraz Ahmed-led side beat Sri Lanka in a do-or-die clash following it up with a semi-final triumph over fancied England to storm into the final. Some teams might not have the best starts, and they come back amazingly, which Pakistan has done. They played fielders' cricket.
After being put into bat first Pakistan captain Sarfraz said "we wanted to bowl first but the toss is out of our control".
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the Indian Premier League, says the India skipper has mellowed down the years and the anger that sometimes surfaced has been replaced by a more jocular personality.
Ashwin was not at his best against Bangladesh, prompting Virat Kohli to turn to Kedar Jadhav's low-arm slingshots, but he is someone adept at bowling with the new or newish ball should he be required to do so.
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There were about four of them. "Even when they went to replay, it was pretty obvious that he was off there pretty good". Zach McAllister relieved Miller and gave up a two-run single by Chris Taylor to drive in the Dodgers' last two runs.
But, the Pakistan bowlers are not going to make their life any easy.
"I know there are expectations, I know there are people that expect the team and me to do well every time we play", Kohli told reporters at the Oval on Saturday. Against Pakistan, Kohli has aggregated 454 runs in 11 innings at 50.44 with the help of two centuries and a fifty.
As a team, Pakistan has been masterful in terms of how they squeeze teams and applies pressure consistently. India and Pakistan will contest the final of the tournament at what is expected to a full house a The Oval on Sunday.
Meanwhile, assuring that India will be neither intimidated nor arrogant when they face Pakistan in Champions Trophy final, Indian skipper Virat Kohli asserted that there were no favourites in the much-awaited clash.
The group stage match between the arch-rivals on June 4 became the highest rated One-day International (ODI) match in Broadcast Audience Research Council's (BARC) history. India: TV: DD National, Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1HD (English, Hindi and Tamil versions).
A 30-second spot during the final to be broadcast by Rupert Murdoch's Star Sports is expected to cost almost $155,500, far higher than the $15,500 that advertisers pay on average for most Indian shows.
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