The great finale is just one night away, with India and Australia competing for the 2023 World Cup title at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
As expected, the top two teams have reached this point, thanks mainly to excellent plays from most team members. Consequently, some of these players are in a good position to potentially receive the Player of the Tournament Award.
Right before the final, the International Cricket Council (ICC) shared nine candidates for the Fans’ Player of the Tournament Award. It’s exciting, as six of those named will appear in the Sunday final.
Four Indians (Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami) and two Australians (Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa) lead the way, with Quinton de Kock of South Africa and Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell of New Zealand rounding out the lineup.
Each of the nine finalists has a decent chance of receiving the prized award after putting up outstanding performances during the 2023 World Cup.
Prior to the 2023 World Cup final, we rank the five favorites in descending order:
5. Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand)
Rachin Ravindra’s breakout campaign has notified the world that he has arrived and is here to stay on the international circuit.
He set the tone early in New Zealand’s 2023 World Cup opener against England, winning Player of the Match for his unbroken 123 in a rout of the reigning champions in Ahmedabad.
He hasn’t looked back since, becoming the first hitter under the age of 23 to collect three World Cup tons while putting up consistent performances with the bat with tremendous assurance at the top of the order.
Rachin Ravindra completed with 578 runs at 64.22 average and 106.45 strike rate, scoring two half-centuries and three fifties and claiming five wickets with his left-arm spin.
If New Zealand had advanced to the final, his chances of earning Player of the Tournament would have improved since he could have improved those stats even further. But he is a deserving candidate for the prized honor.
4. Glenn Maxwell (Australia)
Glenn Maxwell is right up there when it comes to making an influence on a team’s campaign to the point where their fortunes have switched for the better.
The Australian all-rounder has been outstanding in the 2023 World Cup, smashing bowlers all over the park in the middle order while also consistently bowling solid overs.
He has only taken five wickets, but his economical periods against South Africa – both in the league stage and in the semi-final – demonstrate his control and value when some of the frontline quicks have taken some knock.
With the bat, he smashed the Dutch spinners for the quickest ODI World Cup ton, while also making crucial cameo appearances against Sri Lanka and New Zealand. And, of course, there was that 201* innings against Afghanistan in a chasing game, the insanity of which is impossible to explain in words.
Australia’s chance at the 2023 World Cup victory could depend on Maxwell. He could play a crucial role in outdoing India. Notably, if they clinch their sixth title, Maxwell might end up as the Tournament’s top player.
3. Rohit Sharma (India)
Because to India’s domination at the 2023 World Cup, the bulk of the nominees for Player of the Tournament are members of their squad. Skipper Rohit Sharma is one of them, and after missing out in 2019, he is a strong contender this time around.
Rohit has set the tone with his blazing powerplay starts. What has stuck out is his steadiness despite playing such a high-risk style – 550 runs at an average of 55 and a combative strike rate of 124.15 demonstrate how effortless he makes batting appear.
Despite a handful of blips, this has been a feature of his batting throughout the 2023 World Cup. It was again on display against New Zealand in the semi-finals, when he ripped Trent Boult and Tim Southee to tears early on.
Added to this, of course, is his smart leadership, and he has easily been the tournament’s top strategist. A win on Sunday would be a fitting conclusion for Rohit and India, and he may also be named Player of the Tournament.
2. Virat Kohli (India)
Virat Kohli likes to show off his skills in big, many-nation tournaments. He’s proven this at the T20 World Cup, getting the Player of the Tournament in 2014 and 2016.
Everyone knew it was only a matter of time before he really showed up for the ODI World Cup. And, at 35, he did – in a big way. Kohli scored a whopping 711 runs, average of 101.57, with five half-centuries and eight centuries. Not only that, but he smashed so many records. The most memorable? He became the first player ever to get 50 centuries in ODIs.
He thrives in significant events, and by Sunday, a notable performance is what’s anticipated. No matter how many runs he makes, Kohli is highly regarded as a top contender for the Player of the Tournament trophy.
1. Mohammed Shami (India)
In words, how would you define Mohammed Shami’s World Cup campaign in 2023? He was benched for the first four games before being given an opportunity due to Hardik Pandya’s injury, which forced the think-tank to consider their superior specialist alternatives to blow opponents away.
Mohammed Shami has spearheaded that drive in spectacular way. He just required six games to top the wicket rankings with 23 scalps at a fantastic average of 9.13 and a mind-boggling strike-rate of 10.91.
Mitchell Starc, the 2015 World Cup Player of the Tournament, took 22 wickets in eight matches at 10.18 per, striking once every 17.40 balls. Glenn McGrath averaged 13.73 for his 26 wickets in 2007, and Gary Gilmour’s 11 wickets at 5.63 in 1975 were spread over only two games.
Shami’s 2023 World Cup campaign has every reason to be the best any bowler has ever had in the competition’s history. Apart from the control and rhythm he has exhibited, his astronomical stats validate the same, and he might easily be standing with the Player of the Tournament trophy by the time the final is over.
