It could not get any bigger for millions of fans all around the world as the final of the iconic ICC Champions Trophy is about to commence in just a couple of hours with the reigning champions, India taking on arch rivals Pakistan for the coveted trophy. After enduring contrasting starts to their campaign in the eighth edition of the tournament, both the teams have come back strongly in the last week to ensure a spot for them in the finals of the contest.
The Pakistan outfit will be riding high on confidence after a dominating performance against the tournament favourites and the home team, England in the semi-finals. The Men in Green will also be looking to make amends for their dismal performance against India in the league stage and come out as winners.
The Indian team, on the other hand, will be looking to continue their dominance in this prestigious competition. Team India has outclassed their opponent in three of their four games so far and recently pummelled the most improved team in the international circuit, Bangladesh in the semi-finals to book their place in the final.
With two fiercely contesting sides gunning for glory, here are six big predictions for today’s encounter with the help of Tarot Cards:
#6 Virat Kohli continues to impress
The Indian skipper, Virat Kohli is expected to lead from the front in this high-voltage clash. The Empress Reverse Card for the captain indicates that he will continue to impress one and all with the bat and carry on from where he left in the last match against Bangladesh.
The 28-year-old is currently in the midst of a dream run on the international circuit and is expected to play a pivotal role in the fortunes of the Indian team with the bat. Although the team is projected to falter in the middle overs, the stylish right-handed batsman will ensure India manage to come out unscathed from the jitters.
#5 India’s fifth bowler dilemma
One of the primary reason to ponder for the Indian team in this much-waited clash will be their fifth bowler. The team has been heavily reliant on the services of Hardik Pandya and Kedar Jadhav to fulfil the quota of 10 overs for the fifth bowler.
The experiment with Pandya has not yielded any result as of yet and today will be no different as he is expected to struggle with the ball in this epic clash. The High Priestess Card indicates that the 23-year-old will be inconsistent will his line and length which can hurt the performance of the team in the middle overs.
#4 Ashwin shines with the ball
After missing the initial two matches of the tournament, the off-spinner has paved his way back into the playing XI of the side. Ravichandran Ashwin will be a vital cog for the Indian team in the middle overs. The Six of Cups Card indicate that the 30-year-old will be at his best in this tightly contested battle.
Although the wickets on offer in England have not been assisting the spinners since the beginning of the tournament, Ashwin will be consistent with his line and length and ensure the Pakistan outfit does not get away with the game in the middle phase of the match.
#3 Sarfraz Ahmed leads from the front
The Strength Card for the captain of the Pakistan team indicates that he will be determined to win the game for his country and his contributions to the team will be vital. He has been outstanding with the bat for his team and will continue to perform well in this epic clash.
Pakistan's hope of winning the Champions Trophy depends on their inconsistent batting unit, and Sarfaraz is expected to be key to the fortunes of the team. The middle order has not been in great form for the team and will crumble under pressure in this contest.
#2 Fakhar Zaman’s dominating start at the top
The King of Sword Card for Fakhar Zaman reveals that the left-handed batsman will continue to play his aggressive brand of cricket in today’s match. The southpaw is expected to give his side a flying start at the top of the order.
Zaman is coming into this game after scoring an attacking half-century against England and is expected to continue batting in a similar fashion against the defending champions. Pakistan have been struggling with their opening combination for a while, and Zaman will be the answer to this problem as he will be the aggressor for the team in the initial overs of the game.
#1 Outcome of the match
After a combination of spreads and analysis of their results, the Indian team looks all set to defend their title in this clash. The Hanged Man card for the Indian team indicates that the match will be a close battle and the ability of the team to handle pressure will be one of the reasons to come out as champions.
The Pakistan outfit, on the other hand, will be determined to improve on their performance from the league match against India will dominate the initial phase of the game. However, the team will not be able to sustain that pressure for a long time, and their lack of application in high-pressure matches will result in their downfall.
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