WTC Final Ind vs NZ: The WTC Trophy is out for possession between the two best leaders of Modern-day cricket- Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson. After a wait of two long years, the Indian team and New Zealand team have reached the finals. The finale will kick off on 18th June at Southampton.
Both of these teams have had a bad time in finding their luck in the ICC tournaments. Whether it’s New Zealand’s super over Misery or India’s Knockouts chokes. Let’s look at the 5 resurgent points that can lead team India to lift their first ICC Trophy since 2013.
— Bat first
- Traditionally very few teams opt to field first after winning the toss in a test match.
- India playing in English conditions would prefer to avoid chasing in the fourth innings.
- Captain Kohli’s mantra would be to win the toss, bat first, and score no runs less than 350 to be in a stronger position than NZ.
–Seniors’ responsibility
- A match like the WTC final calls for the senior players to step up.
- Fans and pundits of the game expect Rohit to score his first overseas test century and Virat to score his long-awaited 71st century in the big final
- Rohit and Kohli’s extended presence on the pitch will help the team to build a solid momentum
- Eyes will be on Test team specialists Pujara and Rahane to score big as they’ve quoted this WTC final is like a WC final for them.
–Avoid no balls and dropped catches
- If we look at India’s missed chances in knockout matches in recent ICC tournaments, no balls and dropped catches have cost us the most.
- India got defeated by the mighty West Indies in the World T20 semifinals in 2016. After two no-balls by Ravichandran Ashwin and Hardik Pandya denied the hosts a chance to get Lendl Simmons out. He ended as West Indies’ top-scorer in that match.
- The no-ball bowled by Jasprit Bumrah during the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 against Pakistan still haunts us. Fakhar Zaman made full use of the opportunity and went on to score 111 runs which proved out to be a match-winning innings for them.
- India would be looking to avoid these missed chances in the WTC final.
–Don’t take kiwis lightly
- Newzealand is a side that has dominated World cricket in all forms of the game in the last couple of years.
- India has dominated against all the countries but New Zealand.
- India lost the only test series in the WTC cycle against Newzealand.
- New Zealand recently thrashed England on their home as it was the first series after 2014 when England lost on their home soil.
- Their pace attack has bowlers who can swing and bounce with extreme pace which turns out to be lethal for any batting side.
- Their batting has come along nicely as they got two test matches against England to prepare for the big final.
–Top-order to give a solid start
- Rohit Sharma has proved his mettle as a test opener by being the top scorer amongst openers in the WTC. In the WTC cycle, Rohit Sharma has amassed 1,030 runs in 17 innings, averaging 64.37, with four hundred and two fifties.
- Shubman Gill has made the most of the opportunities given to him as he demonstrated his skills by performing in Australia against a World-class bowling attack.
- India has never lost a test match when Rohit has scored a century or when Rohit has remained not out. His performance will be a massive factor in India’s chances in the WTC final.
- India will be expecting a solid start from the openers to set up a big total. It will allow the middle-order batsmen to play their natural game and take the scoreboard ahead.
Also Read: WTC Final 2021: Stats in Southampton, Record, What to do first Bat or Ball | Check All
