The World Test Championship will be back after the half-done IPL and all the international fixtures going around. After fighting with 8 other teams, India and New Zealand have found their place in the WTC Final. The New Zealand team was at the top of the table after the league round of the World Test Championship. India's place was confirmed after their home series against England. As both teams are going to face each other for the first-ever WTC final, we bring you all the stats, records of all the players from both teams.

When is the World Test Championship Final?

The World Test Championship Final will be held on from 18th June to 22nd June 2021. Initially, the final was scheduled to be played at the Lord's Cricket Stadium. But due to Covid-19 and bio bubble requirements, the WTC Final will now be played at the Southhampton Cricket Ground.

New Zealand's journey to the WTC Final

New Zealand team lead by Kane Williamson had to face some tough opponents in their journey to the WTC Final. However, their excellent home record ensured the Black Caps makes it to the final. New Zealand was the first team to qualify for the World Test Championship Final.

But, the journey was not great from the start.

Sri Lanka vs New Zealand (1-1)

They started off their journey with a draw against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. They managed key 50% in the WTC Points Table.

Australia vs New Zealand (3-0)

This time Kane could not ensure any points from a terrifying tour to down under. They were not only beaten but also humiliated by the much stronger Australian side. The hope of making it to the final started looking impossible after that huge defeat.

Then there came the home series for them.

New Zealand vs India (2-0)

India always struggled against the black caps in New Zealand. Therefore, it was Kane's biggest chance to get back to the competition of the Test Championship. They beat India 2-0 to grab full points from the series.

New Zealand vs West Indies (2-0)

They looked confident after their huge win against India. Therefore, the West Indies challenge seemed to be much easier for them. Kane's team beat the West Indies team 2-0 to go up the ladder in the World Test Championship table.

But till that position, the road to final was not ensured yet for them. However, as the South Africa vs Australia Test series got cancelled, they only needed to make sure they beat the Pakistani team in their home series.

New Zealand vs Pakistan (2-0)

To get to the top of the table they needed to beat the Pakistan team. A power-packed performance from the captain himself and young pacer Jamieson made sure they beat the Pakistani team 2-0 to got the top of the Test Championship table.

But, they had to wait till the Australia-India series to be the first team to qualify for the WTC Final.

India's journey to the WTC Final

India looked comfortable in the World Test Championship Table until the change in the points table were done by the ICC lead by Anil Kumble.

West Indies vs India (0-2)

India started off their campaign with an away test series win against the West Indies team. Rahane and Bihari lead from the front with the bat. While it was Bumrah and Ishant Sharma with the ball who made some major contributions.

India vs South Africa (3-0)

With the spin attack India has, they are quite a tough opponent to beat at their home. South Africa toured India for some away points. However, Kohli lead India made sure they get 100% of the points from the series with a 3-0 win over them. Kohli, Mayank Agarwal and Rohit Sharma all struck double tons in their batting-friendly conditions in India.

India vs Bangladesh (2-0)

Bangladesh was hopeful to give better competition to India with their better spin attack. But, the plans never took place on the ground. India beat them comprehensively with a 2-0 margin where India also played their first-ever pink test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

Then came the away series and some tougher opponnets.

New Zealand vs India (2-0)

India was beaten by a better opponent in New Zealand. They could not get better of the bowlers like Kylie Jamieson and Tim Southee. Though there was some fight from the bowlers, that was not enough for them to maintain their 100% win records in the World Test Championship.

Australia vs India (1-2)

Then came the best series of the summer, the underdog story. After the loss in the first match and without captain Kohli on the duty, Australia looked the team to dominate. But, that was not to be the case. Ajinkya Rahane lead team India to a historic series win over Australia. Rishabh Pant was the star of the series along with brilliance from everyone from the bench.

India vs England (3-1)

After the Australia series, the equation was India needed to win at least 2 matches of the series to qualify for the WTC Final. After the loss in the first match, they were down again. Joe Root looked invincible with the bat. But heroics from Axar Patel and Ashwin made sure India win the series with a margin of 3-1 and qualify for the final in June.

India squad for the WTC Final & England tour

Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul (subject to fitness clearance), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper; subject to fitness clearance).

Standby players: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Arzan Nagwaswalla.

New Zealand squad for the WTC Final & England tour

Kane Williamson (c), Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Tom Blundell, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling (wk), Tom Latham, Daryll Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Colin de Grandhomme, Neil Wagner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, Doug Bracewell, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Will Young.

India vs NZ in ICC Tournaments since 1990

Matches played - 10

Won by India - 1
Won by NZ - 9

NZ always bring their best performance against India in ICC Tournaments.

WTC Final: Indian Player's stats, records against NZ, in Eng and in WTC

Let's discuss stats and records of every Indian player against New Zealand, in England, and in WTC.

Stats credits- Suman Biswas.

#1 Virat Kohli

Till now Kohli has a good record against New Zealand. However, his England record looks average just because of his horrible series in 2014. Kohli managed to score 877 runs at an average of 43.85 in the World Test Championship.

Read Also: Top 5 Most runs at Number 3 in ODIs: Kohli Crosses 10000 runs at number 3

#2 Ajinkya Rahane

The vice-captain of India had some tough times in recent years. He has been on and off form and lacking some consistency with the bat. Though, his prolific record against the New Zealand team will give him some confidence. He has scored 600 runs at an average of 50.00 against the Black Caps team.

#3 Cheteshwar Pujara

The new wall of Indian team has played some major roles in the success of Indian team. However, the runs does not show his efforts and fight. Pujara has faced more balls than anyone in the World Test Championship.

#4 Rohit Sharma

Rohit is having a wonderful time in the World Test Championship. After he was promoted to the top of the order, he has looked the best. Till now he has scored more than 1000 runs at an average of 64.37

Read Also: IPL Records: 13 players who have played in every season of IPL from 2008

#5 Rishabh Pant

2021 has been great for the wicket-keeper batsman, Pant. With Saha failing with bat, Pant was given the chance. He made most out of it and emerged as the most important player in the Tests for India. He was the main player in India's comeback against Australia and England.

#6 KL Rahul

Rahul has not fired in the limited chances he got. With the rise of Gill and Agarwal,he has found it hard to get more games to proves himself in the test arena for India.

#7 Mayank Agarwal

Agarwal has not played any match in England. He has his shared bit of performance in the WTC. In 12 matches he has managed to score 857 runs at an average of 42.85.

#8 Shubman Gill

Gill showed his class in the Australia tour. However, his failure against the England team at home might bring in Agarwal and Rahul for the spot at the top with Rohit Sharma.

#9 Hanuma Bihari

Bihari batted with a injured hand to save a heroic Sydney Test. But, it will tough for him get into the middle order, if India opts for more all-rounders in the team.

#10 Wriddhiman Saha

Saha had his success against the New Zealand in the home series. He averages 112 with the bat against the black caps. Though, due to lack of his batting performances, Pant came into the team to replace him.

#11 Ravichandran Ashwin

Ashwin was always criticized for his bowling performance outside Asia. However, his recent record out side SENA countries made him one of the successful spinner in the world. In WTC he has taken 67 wickets and scored valuable 295 runs.

Read Also: 9 most successful Indian Captains in ODIs

#12 Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah in his young test career has already shown how he can be lethal with both the new and old ball. In World Test Championship, he has taken 34 wickets at an average of 22.41

Read Also: Top 4: Most wickets in T20I for India – Chahal at the top

#13 Mohammed Shami

Shami also got injured in the Australian series. But till that time, he had taken 36 wickets at a bowling average of 19.77. He would be rearing to don that white jersey for India after a successful IPL.

#14 Ishant Sharma

The senior most Indian pacer got better with age. He has the best average among the Indian pacers in Test Championship. Ishant also has an outstanding record against the New Zealand team taking 35 wickets in only 7 matches.

#15 Umesh Yadav

Umesh, who is another senior bowler in the team, looks lethal when the wicket is flat. With some extra pace, he has taken 29 wickets in WTC at a bowling average of 18.55. However, he will have to fight for his place in the WTC Final.

#16 Ravindra Jadeja

Jadeja has been the most improved cricketer in the recent years for India. With the batting consistency he has along with his bowling abilities, he has emerged as the best all-rounder of the team. In 10 matches, he has scored 469 runs and took 28 wickets in WTC.

#17 Washington Sundar

Till now, Sundar has played only 4 tests in his career. In that short period he has impressed everyone with his all-round abilities with bat and ball. He is yet to play in England.

#18 Axar Patel

The left-arm spinner from Gujarat came in to team to replace Ravindra Jadeja, which was said to be a huge task as a debutant. But, Axar showed how to take wickets and responsibilities in the home series against England.

#19 Mohammed Siraj

Players like Siraj shows how good India's bench strength is. Siraj who debuted in Austraila has taken 16 wickets at an average of 28.25 till now.

#20 Shardul Thakur

The pacer from Mumbai has shown his capabilities with the bat as well in the lower order. He had his contributions in Team India's win in the 4th test against Australia. He took 7 wickets in the match and also score valuable 69 runs down the order as well.

To check every New Zealand player's stats and records head on to second page please.

WTC Final: New Zealand Player's stats, records against IND, in Eng and in WTC

Let's discuss stats and records of every New Zealand player against India, in England, and in WTC.

#1 Kane Williamson

The Kiwi captain has been in great touch and considered as one of the best in business when it comes to test cricket. However, all of his great scores has been in home conditions. Kane has a decent record in England with only 247 runs in 04 matches at an average of 30.87

#2 BJ Watling

The wicket-keeper batsman has already announced that he will retire after this series and WTC Final. He has a phenomenal record in England with a batting average of 56.08

#3 Ross Taylor

The senior-most batsman in the New Zealand team will bring some experience to the team. Till now in his career, Ross scored 812 runs against India at an average of 33.83

Read Also: Top 9 cricketers from the Indian U-19 cricket team who represented India

#4 Tom Latham

Tom has been prolific for the New Zealand team at the top of the order. Latham has scored 680 runs at average of 40 in 11 matches in the Test Championship.

#5 Will Young

Will has played only two tests till now. Both the tests were in New Zealand. He will be touring to England as a future prospect of the team.

#6 Colin de Grandhomme

Colin de Grandhomme has been very effective in the conditions that suits him. In WTC he scored 300 runs and also taken 11 wickets till now. He can be very effective in the English conditions.

Read Also: The Cricket Story: BCCI and Differently-abled Cricket Council Of India

#7 Trent Boult

Boult has been the go to bowler with the new ball for Kane and New Zealand. With cloudy and bowling friendly pitches he can be as lethal as one can be. Along with that Boult has a great record against India as well taking 36 wickets in 9 matches at an average of 29.52

#8 Tim Southee

With Boult, Southee has made the best new ball partnership in test cricket's recent history. Till now Southee has taken 51 wickets in just 10 matches in the World Test Championship.

#9 Mitch Santner

Due to pace friendly conditions at home, Santner has played less matches. But, with the all-round skill he has he can be a great prospect for the New Zealand team in WTC Final.

#10 Daryl Mithcell

Though he has only started his test career, he is said to be very promising player for the Kiwis. With already a century against his name in the Test Championship, he will certainly be hopeful to get a place in the team ahead of WTC Final.

#11 Kyle Jamieson

Jamieson had a great start to his test career. Though, all of his test has been in the home condition, he has been in excellent both with bat and ball. He has already taken 36 wickets and scored 226 runs in the Test Championship.

#12 Neil Wagner

Wagner is a very underrated cricketer. He is been the go-to man for Kane whenever the chips are down for them. His ability to ball over after over with the same effort makes him a force to recon in the team. In his 5 test matches against India, he has taken 18 wickets at an average of 28.05

#13 Matt Henry

Matt Hnery is known for his pace. He can bowl up to 150+ kmph and idolizes Shane Bond. However, Matt has not been able to make great mark in test cricket. But still with his pace it is only time that he produces great performances for New Zealand.

#14 Doug Bracewell

Doug Bracewell has been in and around the New Zealand for a decade now. But due to lack of consistent performance he has never been a constant in the team.

#15 Ajaz Patel

Ajaz is a left-arm orthodox spinner who relies on flight and spin from the pitch to trap the batters. In the test championship he has taken 9 wickets with an average of 29.66

#16 Tom Bundell

Blundell, who has not played a single test in England will be one of the middle order batsman for New Zealand in WTC Final. Tom has scored 402 runs in the Test Championship at an average of 33.5

#17 Henry Nicholls

Nicholls does not have a great record against India. But, his recent form in the World Test Championship will make him confident enough to do well for his team. He averages 41.78 with the bat in the WTC.

Except these 17 players, there are three more players who is still to debut in test cricket. They are Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway and Jacob Duffy.

If you loved our detailed work on WTC Final and player stats, records, please do not forget to share this among your friends.

Delhi Capitals registered a spectacular win in the Super Over against Rajasthan Royals in the 32nd match of IPL 2025 played at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday. However, arguing with the umpire during the match has cost Delhi's bowling coach Munaf Patel heavily.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has found Munaf Patel guilty for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct and has fined him. Along with this, he has also been given a demerit point.

Also Read: BCCI sacks four staff members after defeat in Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia

There was a heated argument with the fourth umpire

During the match, Delhi Capitals bowling coach Munaf Patel was seen having a heated argument with the fourth umpire. This incident happened near the boundary, where Munaf was clearly angry with the umpire for not allowing him to convey the message on the field and they had an altercation over this. The video of this incident is also going viral on social media.

Munaf Patel had a heated exchange with the 4th umpire during the #DCvRR match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi after the umpire denied sending a player to enter the ground to convey his message.#DCvsRR #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/hHv0tNAUvd

— Gaurav Chaudhary (@gkctweets) April 16, 2025

Fined 25% of his match fee

The BCCI has fined Munaf Patel 25% of his match fee. Along with this, he has also given a demerit point for violating the IPL Code of Conduct. Munaf has admitted a Level 1 offense under Article 2.20, which relates to conduct contrary to the spirit of the game. He has also accepted the punishment given by the match referee.

This is not the first disciplinary issue for Delhi this season. Captain Axar Patel was fined Rs 12 lakh after their sixth game - their only loss so far - against Mumbai Indians due to a slow over-rate.

Patel's contribution as bowling coach

Despite the controversy, Munaf Patel's contribution as bowling coach has been remarkable, as he is credited with Delhi's excellent bowling efforts. This performance played a vital role in turning the tables during the match.

Also Read: IPL 2025 facts: KKR has won every game when this player has played for them

Mitchell Starc was named Player of the Match for his crucial spell. He took 1 wicket for 36 runs in his 4 overs, with the 20th over being particularly crucial in taking the match to the Super Over.

With the win, Delhi Capitals reclaimed the top spot in the IPL 2025 points table. With five wins from six matches, they became the first team to reach 10 points this season.

Taking a shocking decision, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has removed fielding coach T Dilip and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar from the Indian team's coaching staff. BCCI has taken this action after India's humiliating defeat in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia. 

According to media reports, by removing the coaching staff and many other members, the BCCI has given a strict warning that the performance of the Indian team in Tests cannot be ignored.

Also Read: IPL 2025 facts: KKR has won every game when this player has played for them

Abhishek became assistant coach eight months ago

Abhishek was appointed as the assistant coach just eight months ago when Gautam Gambhir took over as the head coach. However, he has now been relieved of his responsibilities as the assistant coach.

Along with him, fielding coach T. Dilip and strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai have also been sacked. Apart from this, a staff member who used to massage the players in the team has also been sacked.

Abhishek worked with Gambhir in KKR

Rahul Dravid's tenure ended after the T20 World Cup 2024. After this, BCCI appointed Gambhir as the head coach. Gambhir had associated his teammates from Kolkata Knight Riders with the team as his assistants.

Before becoming the head coach of the Indian team, Gambhir was the mentor of KKR and at that time Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate were the support staff in the same team. Morne Morkel had worked with Gambhir in Lucknow Super Giants. He was holding the post of fielding coach since the time of Dravid.

Replacement for Abhishek and Dilip

The BCCI has not announced permanent replacements as per reports. However, the transition is already underway. Sitanshu Kotak, currently with the team setup, will continue in his role. Ryan ten Doeschate will handle fielding duties in place of Dilip. For fitness and conditioning, Adrian Le Roux who is currently with Punjab Kings will fill in for Desai.

India's performance in Border Gavaskar Trophy

Team India struggled in the Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. They were inconsistent on both the batting and bowling fronts as the Aussies dominated. The failure was not just about the scoreboard, but the manner in which the team collapsed under pressure.

Also Read: Bengal Cricket: YMCA (College Branch) Clinches Thrilling Victory in Relegation Final, BNR Relegated to CAB Second Division

The result of this loss prompted the BCCI to introspect, and a shake-up the support staff.

The Indian team is set to play a five-match Test series against England starting June 20. They will want to bounce back with the new restructured support staff.

Indian team's star batsman Virat Kohli scored a brilliant half-century in the match against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday. The former captain, who is in great form, became the first Indian to score 100 half-centuries in T20 cricket. 

The Indian stalwart entered the exclusive club, which solely featured David Warner as its sole member. The former Australia star boasts a staggering 108 half-centuries in the T20 format.

Also Read: Most Wickets in 1st Over of IPL

Let's take a look at the batters with most gifties in T20 cricket.

Most Fifties in T20 Cricket

5. Jos Buttler | 86

The England batter Jos Buttler has a fantastic record in the shortest format and has featured in franchise cricket all around the world. Buttler is a part of the Gujarat Titans side in the ongoing IPL season. He has so far played 440 matches in T20 cricket, scoring a total of 12,331 runs with 8 hundreds and the highest individual score of 124.

4. Chris Gayle | 88

The explosive West Indies batter Chris Gayle has played franchise cricket all around the world and has also featured a lot for the national side in the shortest format. Gayle has played 463 matches in T20 cricket, scoring a total of 14,562 runs with 22 centuries and the highest individual score 175*.

3. Babar Azam | 90

The Pakistan batter has not only played a lot of T20 cricket for the national side, but has also featured a lot in franchise cricket. Babar has so far played 311 matches in the format, scoring a total of 11,042 runs with 11 hundreds and the highest individual score of 122.

2. Virat Kohli | 100*

The India star batter Virat Kohli scored his 100th half-century in T20 cricket during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's clash against the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025. Kohli has so far played 405 matches in the format, scoring a total of 13,134 runs with 9 centuries and the highest individual score of 122*.

Also Read: Most Fifties (and over) in IPL History

1. David Warner | 108

The former Australia batter David Warner has played a total of 400 matches in T20 cricket, scoring a massive 12,925 runs. Along with a humongous number of half-centuries, Warner also has 8 centuries under his name in the format with the highest individual score of 135*.

Indian Premier League has been one of the toughest yet entertaining cricket leagues in the world since its inception in 2008. Since then, many Indian and overseas batters have gone on to score plenty of runs for their teams. In this article, we will discuss all those batters who have scored the most fifties (and over) in IPL history. 

Currently, former Australian batter David Warner holds the record for the most fifties (and over) scored in IPL history with 66 fifties. Indian legend Virat Kohli follows him on the list with 65 fifties. With his consistency, Virat Kohli can go past Warner any time and become the batter with the most fifties (and over) in IPL history. 

Shikhar Dhawan, who is considered one of the best openers in IPL history, has 53 IPL fifties to his name. However, he will not be able to increase that number as he has already hung up his boots. 

Rohit Sharma, with 45 IPL fifties, and KL Rahul with 43 fifties can surely get close to David Warner's number. Rahul has been in tremendous form and has already scored two fifties in IPL 2025. However, Rohit Sharma has struggled to get going this season. 

Read Also | Most runs in IPL since 2018

AB de Villiers and Suresh Raina, two of the greatest middle order batters ever to play in Indian Premier League history, also come upon the list with 43 and 40 IPL fifties to their names. 

Faf du Plessis (38) is another name among the active cricketers who ranks among the top 10 players with most IPL fifties so far. 

Read Also | IPL Facts: Most Man of the Match Awards in IPL History

Most fifties (and over) in IPL History (Top 10)

Since its inaugural season in 2008, the IPL has recognized outstanding individual performances through various awards such as the Orange Cap for the highest run-scorer, the Purple Cap for the leading wicket-taker, and the Emerging Player Award for young talents. 

Among such individual awards held in high esteem is the Man of the Match award, given to the standout performer of each game. This award is presented to the player who makes the most significant impact, whether through batting, bowling, or all-round impact.

So let's take a look at the IPL facts of most Man of the Match awards in IPL history.

Also Read: Most Wickets Among Spinner in IPL Since 2023

IPL Facts | Most Man of the Match Awards in IPL

5# David Warner | 18

David Warner is one of the most consistent players in IPL history. He has won the Man of the Match award 18 times and is fifth on this list. He led Sunrisers Hyderabad to the title in the 2016 season, where he scored 848 runs. 

Overall, Warner has scored 6565 runs at a strike rate of 139.77 and an average of 40.52. He also holds the record for scoring the most fifties (60) in IPL history. However, Warner remained unsold in the ongoing season.

4# Virat Kohli | 18

RCB superstar Virat Kohli has been playing for the team in the IPL since 2008. Even after scoring over 8000 runs, Kohli is showing no signs of stopping. When it comes to winning Man of the Match awards, Kohli has won 18 awards just like David Warner. Along with 18 POTM, Kohli also has 1 Most Valuable Player of the Season.

Virat is also the highest run getter in IPL with the record of being the first player who scored 7000 runs in IPL history. Overall Kohli made 8190 runs in 249 innings with an average of 38.81 and a strike rate of 132.24.

Kohli has a superb season with the bat in IPL 2016 when he scored 4 hundreds in a single season along with a mammoth 973 runs.

3# Rohit Sharma | 19

Rohit Sharma, with 19 Man of the Match awards, ranks first among Indian players and third overall. He is arguably the most successful captain in IPL history, having led the Mumbai Indians to five titles in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020 seasons respectively. 

Alongside the brilliant captaincy, he is also a good batsman in IPL. He scored 6666 runs in IPL his career so far at an average of 29.36 and strike rate of 131.14.

Read Also: IPL: Most Man of the Match awards by Indian Players

2# Chris Gayle | 22

'Universe Boss' Chris Gayle has established himself as the greatest T20 cricketer of all time with his consistent performances over the years. The left-handed batsman has won the Player of the Match award 22 times in the league. 

Gayle has 4965 runs in the IPL at a strike rate of 148.96 and an average of 39.72. He has scored a record 6 centuries and 31 half-centuries in the history of the tournament. He also holds the record for the highest individual score(175*) in IPL history.

1# AB de Villiers | 25

Former South African batsman AB de Villiers also established himself as one of the leading finishers in T20 cricket. Mr 360 of T20 cricket has won 25 awards in the history of the league, the most by any player. 

Overall AB has scored 5162 runs in 170 innings at an incredible strike rate of 151.68 and an average of 39.70. De Villiers had decided to retire from all forms of cricket in November 2021.

IPL Facts | Indians with Most M.O.M Awards in IPL