WTC Final: Predicting 3 players who might win the Man of the Match award

As India gear up to lock horns with New Zealand in the World Test Championship (WTC) final starting Friday (June 18) in Southampton, a few players have come into focus as potential candidates to win the Man of the Match award.

Both sides have big names capable of taking the game away from the opposition. So fans can expect it to be a high octane clash.

We attempt to predict some of the players who will walk away with the MOM award.

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#3 Neil Wagner

Wagner is one of those quiet operators who goes about his job while Tim Southee and Trent Boult garner all the attention. The pacer has been a key part of the Kiwi setup and has taken 32 wickets in the league phase.

His stubborn line and length has bothered batsmen and his ability to hit the deck hard makes him an ideal candidate for the MOM award for the WTC final.

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#2 Virat Kohli - Due for a big score as he approaches the WTC final

By his own admission, Virat Kohli is due for a large score and the Indian skipper will be eager to make it count on the big stage and play a match-winning knock to propel India to victory in the WTC final.

Kohli comes into the WTC final with 877 runs from 14 innings at an average of 43.85. Ajinkya Rahane (1095 runs) and Rohit Sharma (1030 runs) are ahead of the captain in the league phase.

Kohli has scored 773 runs in nine matches against the Kiwis. With a healthy average of 51.53, he has one double-century to his name and three fifties against the Black Caps.

He has a better record against the side in the shorter formats of the game, especially in ODIs. Kohli has 1378 runs in 26 matches at an average of 59.91 and a strike rate of 94.64.

Australia v India: 1st Test - Day 3

He has notched up 302 runs from nine matches at an average of 37.75 in T20Is against the Kiwis.

The upcoming WTC final will give him a chance to reach the milestone of scoring 1000 runs against the Black Caps. He is 227 runs shy of reaching the target and will be keen to register big scores when the two sides clash at Southampton.

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#1 Ravindra Jadeja

Jadeja's all-round prowess is well-documented and the Saurashtra man has been crucial for India in all three formats of the game. Jadeja's nagging line and his gun fielding will be a major boost for India.

He is no slouch with the bat either due to his attacking strokeplay and that makes him a valuable asset for the Indian side when they take on New Zealand in the WTC final.