Man of the Match winners in final of last 2 50-over World Cups

The 2019 World Cup is now just seven months away and all the teams have intensified their preparations for the mega tournament. The 12th edition of the elite tournament is set to take place in England next year.

The tournament will commence on May 30, 2019, at Kennington Oval, London when the hosts England face the South African cricket team. Australia and India are the winners of the last two 50-over World Cups. This time around England will be starting the tournament as favorites given their dominant performances in 50-over cricket over the last few years.

Here are the 2 cricketers who won the Man of the Match award in the all-important final of the last two tournaments:

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James Faulkner (Australia) - 2015 WC final (versus New Zealand)

The forgotten Australian all-rounder James Faulkner won the Man of the Match award in the final of the most recent World Cup held in 2015. Australia faced New Zealand in the final of the tournament.

New Zealand batted first in this high profile clash and due to a top-order collapse their innings never really took off. Middle order batsmen Ross Taylor and Grant Elliott tried to resurrect the Kiwis' innings by putting on a hundred-run partnership but it was James Faulkner who derailed their middle order by picking the wickets of both these settled batsmen.

He also picked up the wicket of the dangerous Corey Anderson. He ended the innings with impressive figures of 36-3 from 9 overs which earned him the Man of the Match award.

Australia won the match comfortably as they chased down the target of 184 in just 33.1 overs to lift the coveted trophy for a record fifth time.

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Mahendra Singh Dhoni (India) - 2011 WC final (versus Sri Lanka)

MS Dhoni in his stance after hitting the World cup winning six

Former captain MS Dhoni led the Indian contingent from the front in the final match of the 2011 World Cup as he played one of the greatest innings while chasing under immense pressure.

Sri Lanka batted first and set a decent target of 275 to India in the crunch game. India's legendary opening duo of Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar were dismissed early in the innings by Lasith Malinga. No. 3 batsman Gautam Gambhir and No. 4 batsman Virat Kohli stitched together a useful partnership worth 83 runs before Kohli was dismissed by part-time offspinner Dilshan.

At the fall of the third wicket, MS Dhoni walked out to everyone's astonishment as the in-form Yuvraj Singh had batted at that particular spot previously. Dhoni then put on a spectacular match-winning partnership worth 109 runs along with Gambhir who scored 97 runs in the match.

Dhoni scored an unbeaten 91* from just 79 balls which included 8 fours and 2 sixes.