Arch-rivals India and Pakistan will meet in the World Championship of Legends final at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham on Saturday. Led by Yuvraj Singh, the champions beat Australia by 86 runs to reach the final, with Robin Uthappa’s 35-ball 65-run blitz followed by a blistering half-century from the captain. Meanwhile, Pakistan bounced back from a loss to South Africa in the group stage to beat the West Indies by 20 runs in the semi-finals.
This will be their second meeting in the WCL tournament, with the Pakistani champions triumphing in a hard-fought match in Birmingham last week, with Kamran Akmal, Sharjeel Khan and Sohaib Maqsood hitting fifties apiece to help them win by 68 runs.
Last 3 games:
Indian Champion: Well
Pakistan Champion: W.L.W.
Probable squads for India and Pakistan in the final
India’s likely winners
batter – Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu.
All-rounder – Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan
Wicketkeeper – Uthappa
bowler – Pawan Negi, Harbhajan Singh, Dhawal Kulkarni, Vinay Kumar
Pakistan’s favourites to win
batter: Sharjeel Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Younis Khan (c), Misbah-ul-Haq
All-rounder: Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik
WicketkeeperBy Kamran Akmal
bowler: Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz, Aamer Yamin, Sohail Khan
Key players in India
Robin UthappaVeteran batsman Robin Uthappa is the tournament’s leading run-scorer for India Champions. The wicketkeeper-batsman has scored 215 runs in six matches and comes into the tournament fresh off a brilliant 65 runs off 35 balls in the semi-final against Australia Champions.
Yuvraj SinghThe World Cup winners turned back the clock on Friday night in Northampton, when Yuvraj smashed 59 off just 28 balls, including four boundaries and five maximums, as India beat Australia by 86 in the semi-final. Though he didn’t make much of a splash in the tournament, Yuvraj has always been a player who thrives on the big stage.
Pakistan’s Key Players
Shoaib MalikFormer Pakistan captain Malik has not only been his team’s best batsman in the tournament but also its best bowler. In six matches, he has scored 204 runs at a strike rate of 147.82, including three fifties, and also picked up eight wickets.
Sharjeel KhanThe Pakistan opener has scored 209 runs in six matches at a strike rate of 200.96 to become the team’s leading run-getter in the tournament. In the last match against the Indian Champions, he scored 72 runs off 30 balls to help Pakistan to a dominant win.
Team Battles
In the tournament’s only encounter in Birmingham last week, the Pakistan champions defeated the Indian champions by 68 runs after the top-order orchestrated a mammoth total of 243, with Malik and Wahab Riaz taking three wickets each to restrict India to 175 for 9.
Venue and pitch
The Edgbaston Ground in Birmingham has a slight advantage for the chasing teams. The pitch has also been conducive to pacers in the ongoing tournament. Birmingham is expected to see some high-scoring, thrilling matches. India have won two of their four matches at the venue, while Pakistan have lost only one of their five matches.
Match Predictions
Pakistan champions led by Younis Khan will defeat the Indian champions in the final.
Fantasy XI:
Wicketkeeper: Robin Uthappa
batter: Sharjeel Khan, Ambati Rayudu
All-rounder: Yuvraj Singh, Shoaib Malik, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Shahid Afridi
bowler: Harbhajan Singh, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir
Backup Player:
butter – Younis Khan
bowler – Dhawal Kulkarni
All-rounder – Suresh Raina
