Players who can be surprise performers in WTC Final

CricSigma Σ | 2 years, 58 matches, more than 20 series have been fought for the two spots in the WTC Final 2019-2021. India and New Zealand succeeded to secure the top two ranks on the points table. You would expect stars like Kohli, Bumrah, Pant, Pujara, Kane, Boult and Southee to step up for the team.

With the final beginning on 18th June in the English city, Southampton, we look at two players who can surprise everyone with their performance in the Final-

Ishant Sharma

Veteran Indian pacer Ishant Sharma has been one of the pillars of the Indian Test team. Initially seen as a workhorse: a tireless deliverer of thankless overs to control the flow of runs and not looking to run through teams, he is now the leader of arguably the world's best pace battery. What has changed? He has controlled the number of bad balls and is now bowling more potent deliveries: wider of the crease, ensuring that batsmen attempt to play them. He also has worked on his fitness recently which has helped him to maintain the same energy and hostility for more overs. All these factors have contributed to making him a better bowler.

His Test career can be divided into three parts. In the third part, he has been terrific. He has been a better bowler than Cummins, Anderson, Boult, Southee and every other bowler except Jason Holder, since Jan 2018.

In WTC 2019-2021, he has picked 36 wickets with an average of just 17.36, which includes 20 wickets away from home. The last time when Ishant toured England, he picked 18 wickets at an average of 24.27 and finished as the highest wicket-taker for India, followed by Shami (16) and Bumrah (14). 

When he played against New Zealand last year, he took a Fifer which included wickets of Blundell, Latham, Taylor, Boult and Southee.

BJ Watling

Arguably the best wicketkeeper-batsman of this generation, BJ Watling would play his last Test as the WTC Final. He is the perfect example of being underrated. He has some excellent numbers without much popular acknowledgement. They do have some holes, but it's out of his control as he does not get as many chances as others get. 

Since his debut, nobody has scored more runs than him batting at 6 or lower positions. What does he do? He has his method of scoring those runs. He plays a lot of balls, avoiding any expansive drives, but puts away the bad balls caused due to the bowler's frustration, often pulling or cutting. 

Since January 2018, he has scored 1071 runs at an average of 38.25, which are pretty good numbers for a lower-order batsman. He has scored 8 centuries in his career, 4 of them were away from New Zealand. 

Apart from his batting, Watling has also been a top wicketkeeper. He has allowed byes just 2.2 times a match since Jan 2018, which is 2.4 for Dickwella, 3.3 for Paine and 4.2 for Pant in the same period.

In 2015, when New Zealand last toured England, Watling was the highest run-getter for New Zealand scoring 254 runs which included a brilliant century in Leeds and 2 50+ scores in Lord's.

He had an ordinary Plunket Shield 2020-21 season for Northern Districts where he scored 285 runs with an average of 28.5 and his team finished second after Canterbury. But New Zealand has always been dependent on him to steer their recovery from 4 down at a very low score to a respectable total due to partnerships with tailenders and will continue to do so, till he retires.

Credits for stats to ESPNcricinfo and CricMetric.