The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the prize money for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and New Zealand. The winner of the much-awaited contest will take home 1.6 million USD as a cash prize. ICC CEO Geoff Allardice confirmed the cash prize on Monday (June 14).

While the winner will be awarded $1.6 million, the runners-up will take home $800,000. In case of a draw, the prize money will be split between the two finalists. India and New Zealand will lock horns in the much-anticipated final of the World Test Championship that gets underway from June 18 at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.

While New Zealand will be heading into the final on the back of a 1-0 win over England in the recently-concluded two-match Test series, India played an intra-squad game in Southampton where a number of players impressed with the bat and the ball. While Ishant Sharma picked up three wickets on the opening day of the game, Mohammed Siraj returned with figures of 2/22 on the final day.

Rishabh Pant slammed a century (121 off 94 balls) while Shubman Gill scored 85. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja also displayed his heroics with the bat on the final day of the game as he slammed 54 off 76 balls. The game concluded on Sunday with all players getting some match practice behind their back ahead of the all-important final.

The Indian team had landed in Southampton in the first week of June and has since been staying in managed isolation while training together. The final is expected to be a cracker of a contest as both teams have a formidable pace attack which can trouble the batsmen in the conditions in Southampton assists seam and swing.

While India have no dearth of quality in their pace attack, Virat Kohli & Co. are likely to play two spinners – R Ashwin, Jadeja and three pacers in the final.