Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor played unbeaten knocks of 52 and 47 respectively as New Zealand thrashed India by eight wickets in the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton on Wednesday.
“Still sinking in, but it’s been a few years to come. It rained a lot but the way the team struggled from day one to stay out a bit in a critical position, it’s something I never I’ll forget. That would be the highlight of my career. Early in my career, I thought maybe we didn’t have any favors to do,” Taylor hosts broadcaster Star Sports.
“But I’m sure there are some Kiwis waking up who will be very proud. There was a lot of pressure, it was good to stand up for it. The 2019 World Cup was something that was very difficult for us at the time, but it makes up for that. Over time, it will sink in a bit more,” he said.
A full effort on reserve day saw New Zealand beat India in the final, which had its ups and downs in the first innings. The Kiwis took full advantage of their thin lead of 32 runs and the Kane Williamson-led side chased down India cheaply in the second innings and set a target of just 139 runs. The batsmen did not lose their courage and in the end the team went together. A comfortable win.
match highlights
Talking about the final, fast bowler Tim Southee Host told broadcaster Star Sports: “We started this journey two years back. It’s special to sit here as champions. A lot of hard work has gone into it. Consistency comes to mind: consistency through performance, consistency in selection. We do a lot for each other. It’s satisfying to have what we have. The change dates back to the last few years. The change room was very quiet, knowing we have two experienced people.”
“Probably the longest 139 runs I’ve experienced. I think as an international player, you want to look for ways to get better. That’s what I went for. This group gave each other specials, skill and fitness. Inspired to work. BJ Watling What this team means in a nutshell, we wanted to send him off with a win at the start of the tour. He has been a tremendous part of the team, he has given this team everything that he had, there could not be a greater joy for him.”
Earlier, Tim Southee took four wickets as India were bundled out for 170 in the second innings on Reserve Day. The ball-inspired performance ensured that New Zealand needed to score 139 runs in a minimum of 53 overs to win the title.
Rishabh Pant Top scorer for India as he smashed 41 runs, but found hardly any company as none of the top-order batsmen managed to spend time in the middle. It was eventually left to the likes of Ravindra Jadeja (16 off 49 balls) to give him company as India lost wickets. Virat Kohli (13), Cheteshwar Pujara (15), and Ajinkya Rahane (15) in the first session itself.
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