India's captain Virat Kohli, left, watches as New Zealand's captain Kane Williamson, right, and Ross Taylor celebrate their win. (AP Photo) A tenacious New Zealand lifted the inaugural World Test Championship title with a comfortable eight-wicket win over India on the sixth and final day of the marquee final on Wednesday.
It is first major ICC trophy for the Black Caps, who had ended runners-up at the 2019 ODI World Cup after losing the final to hosts England on boundary count. They had also lost the 2015 World Cup final to Australia.
The seasoned pair of skipper Kane Williamson (52) and Ross Taylor (47) took New Zealand past the finish line with their unbeaten 96-run partnership as they overhauled the 139-run target without much fuss.
A target of 139 wasn’t going to be difficult and Williamson (52 not out), after a brilliant match as captain, played sublime drives in a short chase on a balmy reserve day which was used to compensate for two days of cricket being lost to rain.
There was the trademark serene smile on his face which widened following a hug from his mate Ross Taylor (47 not out) in a very low-key celebration for a team that is high-profile in its own right.
Here are all the reactions after the match-
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Congratulations to New Zealand on winning the World Test Championship ๐ Kudos to #TeamIndia on making it all the way into the final. Chin up, boys ๐ ๐ฎ๐ณ
โ Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) June 23, 2021
Congratulations @BLACKCAPS .. absolutely brilliant effort on the day. Deserved test champions #WTCFinal
โ Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) June 23, 2021
Missed being 50-over champions 2 years ago in the same country, but winning the inaugural World test Championship in style, many congratulations @BLACKCAPS , absolutely worthy champions. Happy for Kane Williamson and @RossLTaylor #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/TNnkLvaMsO
โ Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) June 23, 2021
Congratulations NEW ZEALAND winning the test championship final .Absolutely top class effort from team India from last 2 years and being in the final . ๐๐๐@BLACKCAPS @BCCI ๐๐ป๐
โ Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) June 23, 2021
What a moment. They will cherish this for the rest of their lives. They all individually just became World Champs!! Sensational!! @BLACKCAPS #WTC2021Final
โ Robin Aiyuda Uthappa (@robbieuthappa) June 23, 2021
Well played New Zealand. Deserving winner of the #WTCFinal . India must be disappointed with final result but can take a lot of pride in thier journey to this #WTCFinal2021
โ R P Singh เคฐเฅเคฆเฅเคฐ เคชเฅเคฐเคคเคพเคช เคธเคฟเคเคน (@rpsingh) June 23, 2021
Huge congratulations New Zealand – what a Test match, what a win #WTC2021
โ Isa Guha (@isaguha) June 23, 2021
Congrats New Zealand. ๐๐๐ป #Champions #WTC21 @BLACKCAPS @ICC
โ Anjum Chopra (@chopraanjum) June 23, 2021
So proud of this group of men. 5 years ago this result would have been unimaginable. Enjoy tonight lads! @blackcaps
โ Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) June 23, 2021
Good things happen to good people. Congrats Kane Williamson. ๐๐๐
โ Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja) June 23, 2021
Congratulations to @BLACKCAPS for being the first Test cricket champion . You guys deserve this. #KaneWilliamson #ICCWorldTestChampionship
โ Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) June 23, 2021
Congratulations to BJ Watling on a fantastic career. Has been a great ambassador of the game and one of the most successful keeper-batsman over the last decade.
Fittingly, leaving the greatest format of the game with the greatest version of that trophy, one that noone had before pic.twitter.com/wbSpy7IVg2โ VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) June 23, 2021
Earlier, India’s batsmen failed to dazzle on the day when it mattered most as New Zealand’s canny operators and their classy skipper Kane Williamson deservingly walked away with the inaugural World Test Championship title.
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