WTC Final: India vs New Zealand - Who Said What

New Zealand finally have an ICC trophy in their cabinet after a long wait of 21 years. The Blackcaps defied all odds in the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) to defeat India by eight wickets. The highly-anticipated showpiece event was full of action as both the teams fought tooth and nail to get their hands on the Test mace.

Day one of the historic Test match was washed out due to persistent rainfall at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton. The second day commenced with the Kiwis winning the toss and inviting the Indian side to bat first. The first innings saw the domination of the seamer Kyle Jamieson as the 26-year-old bowled magic.

Jamieson ran through India’s batting order to pick as many as five wickets while bowling at an economy rate of 1.4. India managed to put 217 on the scoreboard courtesy of skipper Virat Kohli and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane as they added 44 and 49 runs to the scoreboard. 

Kane Williamson takes New Zealand home

In the second innings, Devon Conway and Kane Williamson shined with the willow as they played knocks of 54 and 49 runs. For India, Mohammed Shami was the pick of the bowler as he scalped four wickets followed by Ishant Sharma and Ravi Ashwin who had three and two under their belt. 

The third innings of the match witnessed a collapse of the batting line-up as New Zealand’s decorated seam attack breathed fire with the ball. India could set a target of only 139 runs on the scoreboard. Tim Southee was the highest wicket-taker with four wickets followed by Trent Boult who had three under his belt. 

Meanwhile, it was Kane Williamson who took the Blackcaps home in the summit clash. Williamson showcased his temperament and class as he smashed a stunning 52 runs. The skipper was aptly supported by Ross Taylor who added 47 runs to the scoreboard. The two stitched a 96-run unbeaten partnership to help Kiwis lift the trophy. 

Player of the Match Kyle Jamieson said: 

It’s a massive moment. To have some context around Test cricket is big and to be standing here now is surreal. I knew we had a big first hour today. We had the ball in the right areas, and we knew it would be a tough task. It’s nice to have the ball first up and play your part. It’s nice to have a chance to do good things for the team. The work that the other bowlers did was really helpful for my figures. Virat is a world-class player, and it was good to have some experience against him at RCB. To pick him up twice in the Test was great.

Losing skipper Virat Kohli said:

First up, a big congratulations to Kane and his team. They’ve shown great consistency and heart, and pull off a result in three days. They put us under pressure throughout the Test and did extremely well to win. It was difficult to get momentum on Day 2, and we did really well with the ball in the first innings.

This morning was the difference where their bowlers executed their plans to perfection and didn’t give us scoring opportunities. We were 30-40 short of giving them a good target. I don’t regret announcing my XI beforehand, because you need an all-rounder in the side but we made a unanimous decision that these are the best XI we can take into the park.

Jamieson is coming up nicely in international cricket – good areas with the ball, and he can bat quite well too. He’s had a great game and he deserves the man of the match award. It’s great for the game (WTC) and the more Test cricket is given importance, the better it will be for international cricket.

It’s a great move by ICC. Test cricket is the heartbeat of the game. It’s a long summer ahead and we are really looking forward to the next series (Tests against England).

Winning skipper Kane Williamson said: 

It’s a special feeling. It’s nice to get one under the belt. I’d like to thank Virat and the Indian team. The heart that our team showed was commendable. It’s the first time we have come away with a world title, and the 22 players who played a big part in getting across the line deserve all the appreciation.

This will be remembered for a long time. We don’t always have all the stars, and we saw that in this match. We saw so much heart and commitment. We know how strong the Indian side is, in all conditions. It’s a fickle game, in a one-off final.

It ebbed and flowed, no one really had the upper hand for six days, and I’m happy we’re on the right side of it. It was certainly tough going in the first innings. The lower order played with more freedom and got us a lead that gave us an edge.

Ross is obviously very experienced and calm in these situations and it was great to be with him right there at the end. BJ Watling – I don’t know if he’s retiring any more actually (jokes). He’s a scrappy player, so this is a fitting end to a fantastic career for BJ Watling.