Dubai, March 6 (NationPress) As the T20 World Cup approaches its grand finale, where India will face New Zealand on Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the ICC has revealed the standout performers nominated for the prestigious Player of the Tournament award.

Among the eight contenders is India's Sanju Samson, alongside notable players such as Will Jacks (England), Sahibzada Farhan (Pakistan), Lungi Ngidi (South Africa), Aiden Markram (South Africa), Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand), Shadley van Schalkwyk (USA), and Tim Seifert (New Zealand).

Samson's performance has been on a consistent upswing throughout the tournament, highlighted by his back-to-back Player of the Match accolades in India's last two outings.

He delivered an impressive unbeaten 97 runs off just 50 balls during a pivotal Super Eights win against the West Indies, followed by a remarkable 89 runs from 42 balls in the knockout semi-final.

Throughout the tournament, the wicketkeeper-batter has amassed a total of 232 runs at an average of 77.33 and an astonishing strike rate of 201.73.

England’s Will Jacks has also been a standout performer, earning four Player of the Match awards, including crucial performances against Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the Super Eights.

Despite being relegated in the batting order, Jacks excelled as a finisher, scoring 226 runs at a strike rate of 176.56. His most notable performance came against Italy, where he scored an unbeaten 53 runs from just 22 balls, propelling England's recovery from 105/5 to 202/7.

In addition to his batting prowess, Jacks has served as a reliable off-spinner, providing crucial breakthroughs. He took 3 wickets for 22 runs against Sri Lanka and contributed significantly with 2 wickets for 23 runs against New Zealand, also scoring an unbeaten 32.

Sahibzada Farhan has been a bright spot for Pakistan, scoring a remarkable 383 runs in six innings, the highest in a single Men's T20 World Cup edition. He made history by being the first player to hit two centuries in a single Men's T20 World Cup, achieving this against both Sri Lanka and Namibia.

Lungi Ngidi has been pivotal to South Africa’s bowling attack, showcasing consistency throughout the tournament. He began with a four-wicket haul against Canada and continued with a 3/26 performance against Afghanistan in a thrilling match decided by two Super Overs. Ngidi also claimed three wickets against the West Indies in the Super Eights.

Aiden Markram has been instrumental in South Africa's strong performances, scoring three half-centuries in eight matches. His best outings were against New Zealand, where he scored an unbeaten 86, and against the West Indies, also with an unbeaten 86, leading his team to chase down significant targets.

Rachin Ravindra has been a valuable asset for New Zealand, contributing both with bat and ball. After the first Super Eight match against Pakistan was abandoned, he excelled against Sri Lanka, scoring 32 runs and taking 4 wickets for 27 runs. He also performed well in a tough match against England, finishing with figures of 3/19.

Shadley van Schalkwyk started the T20 World Cup with a bang, taking four wickets against India. He effectively varied his bowling pace, helping to restrict India at one point to 77/6. He replicated his success in the next match against Pakistan with identical figures of 4/25.

Tim Seifert has been crucial to New Zealand’s success, scoring a total of 274 runs in eight matches, including eight half-centuries. His tournament began with strong performances against Afghanistan and the UAE, but his most significant contribution came with a score of 58 against South Africa in the semi-finals, where he formed a vital 117-run partnership with Finn Allen.