Picture Credit: Twitter/ICC
The inaugural edition of the World Test Championship is finally coming to an end and the two finalists - India and New Zealand - are set to fight it out against each other for the ultimate glory. The grand finale is set to begin from June 18 onwards at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton and both sides have made it very clear how significant this contest is for them. With so much excitement and buzz ahead of the finals, both sides will look to leave no stones unturned with so much at stake in this 5-day contest of cricket. Let us have a look at a few of those reasons which certainly magnifies the importance of this historic Test match.
1. Maiden ICC title for both captains
Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson are undoubtedly two of the most charismatic leaders in world cricket right now. With so many batting records to their name, the only missing piece in their successful captaincy tenure is an ICC title with the senior side. While Kohli missed out on the opportunity to lead his side to glory in the 2017 Champions Trophy, Williamson's side suffered a heartbreaking loss in the 2019 ODI World Cup.
Having played some mesmerizing cricket for the past two years in Test cricket, both the skippers finally have an opportunity to clinch a prestigious ICC title and etch their names in the history books by becoming the first-ever winners of the World Test Championship. This will be way more than just a cricket match with so much pride and glory at stake.
2. One and half-million dollars
ICC CEO Geoff Allardice recently made a very important announcement ahead of the WTC Final as he announced the prize money for the winners. A whopping cash prize of around US $1.6 million (INR 11.7 crore) will be at stake for both sides and they would certainly don't want to miss out on that.
The mega reward just signifies how big the occasion is and it certainly justifies the hype around the contest. Along with this, the winning team will also be the proud recipients of the prestigious Test Championship mace which will indeed motivate all the players to give their everything in pursuit of getting their hands on the glorious mace.
3. ICC No. 1 Test Ranking
The stage is perfectly set up as the contest will be played between the two best teams as per ICC Test rankings. And interestingly, the winners of the WTC Final will also end up at top of the rankings, making the occasion even more significant. New Zealand recently displaced India to go No.1 with a rating of 123. On the other hand, India are just behind them at second place with a rating of 121.
The pride of being the No.1 Test team in the world has always been very significant for the players, boards and captains. With the present situation of 'winners taking it all' in the final showdown, the intensity and the gravity of the occasion is certainly quite high and the fans can certainly expect an exhibition of cricket and passion in this historic game.