Virat Kohli, India, Pakistan, rivalry, Champions Trophy
Virat Kohli will know the importance of winning this gameKieran Galvin/AFP/Getty Images

It might only be their first game of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, but both India and Pakistan will know this is a must-win. Win this game and you become heroes in the eyes of your fans; lose and you might just feel their wrath.

With a lot at stake, apart from whatever comes with every India vs Pakistan game, this is a match that will hold the attention of a global audience of millions.

India start this Group B game as the favoured side, but Pakistan have all the talent in the world to come out with a W.

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Here is a look at how this Champions Trophy match might go.

If India bat first:

Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma are troubled early on by Mohammad Amir, but crucially they keep their wickets intact, which allows them to build the platform India need.

A partnership of 98 is broken by Wahab Riaz, but Virat Kohli comes in and plays like only Virat Kohli can.

Kohli and Dhawan stay together till the 38th over, and when Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni come in, they finish off the innings in style, with Hardik Pandya chipping in nicely as well.

With 327 to chase, Pakistan need a strong start, and that is provided by Ahmed Shehzad, who starts off quick, and Azhar Ali, who looks calm, cool and collected at the other end.

Jasprit Bumrah is the man who gives India their first wicket, and that wicket is followed by two more in quick succession.

Suddenly, Pakistan are in big trouble, three down, and while the experience of Mohammed Hafeez and Shoaib Malik steadies the innings, the rest of the batting order – Sarfraz Ahmed and Faheem Ashraf play a couple of gems – are left with too much to do.

Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Pakistan, ICC Champions Trophy, India
The experience of Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik will be vital for PakistanLindsey Parnaby/AFP/Getty Images

If Pakistan bat first:

India start with venom and plenty of aggression, and that pays off as two Pakistan wickets fall in the first five overs. After a bit of a partnership between Ali and Hafeez, Pakistan lose their way again, when the former falls.

Rain comes to Pakistan's rescue at this point, and after a delay, Hafeez and Malik come out with a plan to dent India's bowling attack. They do that well, and slowly but surely the innings picks up momentum

It gets better when Sarfraz, Imad Wasim and Ashraf come in and smack a fair few, which takes the total to 274.

India do not get the strong start they need, as Rohit is dismissed in the first over by Amir, with Hasan Ali then picking up Dhawan as well.

Kohli and Yuvraj come together for a century partnership, before it is Dhoni time. The former skipper comes in, takes his time, and with a brilliant Kohli at the other end, takes his team home without too much fuss.