CWC 15 Final: Australia vs New Zealand - 5 things to look forward to

After 43 days of intense cricketing rivalries, where the world witnessed lop-sided encounters doubled with tense, nail-biting finishes, the top two teams, New Zealand and Australia face off in the final of the 11th edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup on Sunday. Defined by consistency and aggression, the host nations are on the cusp of writing history when they meet at the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground, the venue for the 49th match of the event.Led by Brendon McCullum and Michael Clarke respectively, both the teams have the arsenal and the firepower to emerge victorious and be crowned World Champions. Here are 5 things to look forward to in the summit clash.

#1 Brendon McCullum - the aggressive leader and batsman

Aggressive- a word which can aptly define the NZ cricket teams approach in the WC, which has seen them enter the finals on the back of an unbeaten 8 match winning streak.

McCullum, the captain of the Black caps, has been instrumental in taking the team to the finals of the WC for the first time, leading the way with a fearless, never-say-die attitude.

On the field, he has paved the way for a style of captaincy which doesnt shy away from experimenting, all the while exuding confidence in his boys. Not one to be stubborn, he is quick to change his plans if he sees his original ones backfiring. He wont hesitate in putting 5 slips in the 14th over of the innings and neither will he think twice in bowling out his frontline pacer Trent Boult in his very first spell, seen in the Quarter Final gameagainst the West Indies.

Former Kiwi captain Stephen Fleming, while calling his captaincy contagious, also applauds his strategy as an opener- putting bat to ball with the sole intention of hitting every delivery out of the park. Baz, with 328 runs in 8 matches may not be on top of the highest run getters list, but a strike rate of 191- the highest ever in the tournament- shows why he is to be feared.

Diving, sliding, flinging around the field saving each run as if his life depended on it, McCullum has inspired his young team to play a brand of cricket which makes them favourites to win the Cup for the first time.