World Cup: As the World Cup 2023 inches close to completion, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the contenders for the Player of the tournament award. The epic tournament witnessed some iconic performances from the players across teams during the event. As India and Australia gear up for one final dance in the tournament, ICC has revealed nine contenders for the prestigious award.
Nine players from the four semifinalist teams have been listed for the award. Notably, there are four Indians, two Australians, two Kiwis and one South African making the list. Among the Indians, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah find their names. In the star-studded nominee list, Australia's Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell and South Africa's Quinton de Kock find their names.
Nominated batters in red-hot form
All the six batters named in the nominee list are in red-hot form in the tournament. Former India captain Virat Kohli is the highest scorer and has racked up 711 runs in 10 matches. Quinton de Kock stands second with 594 runs, followed by Rachin Ravindra (578), Daryl Mitchell (552) and Rohit Sharma completing the top five run-scorers list.
Glenn Maxwell is a little below in the run-scoring chart, having scored 398 in 8 games but his onslaught in the tournament makes him second to none in contributing towards Australia's success in the event.
Bumrah, Shami, and Zampa only bowlers on the list
India's Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Australia's Adam Zampa are the only bowlers to find their names in the tally. Shami has dismantled batting line-ups and is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament - 23 wickets in just 6 games, while Zampa is hot on heels with 22 scalps in 10 games. Bumrah's superb economy and ability to pick wickets at will make him a strong contender for the award too. He has 18 wickets in 10 games and is the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament.
