It is like a World Cup final for me – Neil Wagner on WTC summit clash against India

New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner has stated that the World Test Championship final against India will be like a World Cup final for him.

Wagner, who is known to hit the deck hard, has played 51 Test matches for New Zealand but hasn’t played a solitary limited-overs match for the Kiwis.

Wagner has been a consistent performer for New Zealand in the Test format and there is no doubt that it is going to be a special match for him. In fact, the Indian players like Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, who are not the part of the white-ball team, also consider the WTC summit clash similar to the World Cup final.

Wagner feels he might not be able to represent New Zealand in the limited-overs format and believes that ship has sailed.

Wagner said while talking to ESPN Cricinfo, “Yeah, it is like a World Cup final for me. The biggest disappointment, I guess, in my career is that I’ve never really played a white-ball game for New Zealand or never been able to crack into the T20 or the one-day game.

“That ship has probably sailed now and I don’t think the opportunity will ever come. For me now, it’s about putting all my focus and energy into Test cricket and to be able to play in a World Test Championship final is like a World Cup for me,” he added.

Wagner added that it will be a challenge of their skills against a top team like India and he will aim to take it as just another Test match.

“I know this final is the first and there isn’t a lot of history around it, but it’s the start of something that’s pretty big. To play in a one-off Test final against India, one of the best teams in the world, if not the best team in the world, to be able to test yourself against the best on the highest and biggest stage, that’s what it’s about.

“It’s extremely exciting, but I don’t want to think too far ahead. Don’t want to let the occasion get to you, just treat it like another Test match and do the same things you do. It’s definitely going to be a special occasion. That’s for sure,” Neil Wagner went on to add.

The WTC final between India and New Zealand will take place at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton from June 18.