WTC Final 2021, in pics: New Zealand beat India to win inaugural World Test Championship

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. (AP)

Perhaps the cricket Gods wanted a course correction for Williamson and his men, who were left high and dry during that evening at the Lord's where twist of cruel fate and horrible rules robbed them off deserving glory in the 2019 World Cup. (AP)

For Kohli, this is the third failure in big ICC events after the 2017 Champions Trophy and the 2019 World Cup. He might just have one more shot, which is the T20 World Cup this year, and failing to win that could warrant some changes in the team hierarchy. (AP)

Tim Southee (4/48) did the early damage with his swing bowling, Neil Wagner (1/44) bowled those hard "rib cage" overs coming round the stumps and Trent Boult (3/44), with his ability to bring it back into the left-hander, made for a brilliant few hours of Test cricket. And then there was India's nemesis Kyle Jamieson (2/30), who got his "bunny" Kohli third time in three Tests and twice in one to put the icing on the cake. (AP)

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. (AP)

Senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's two early wickets raised hopes of a twist in the tale but Williamson and Taylor doused them one patient stroke at a time. (AP)

Jasprit Bumrah reacts after finishing bowling an over during the sixth day of the World Test Championship final cricket match between New Zealand and India, at the Rose Bowl in Southampton, England, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

New Zealand supporters cheer for their team during the sixth day of the World Test Championship final cricket match between New Zealand and India, at the Rose Bowl in Southampton, England, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Ajinkya Rahane (15 off 40 balls) also didn't last long and as it has happened with India often, their tail didn't wag save for Mohammed Shami (13), who slashed three fours before Williamson cleverly deployed a "fly third-man" (neither short third-man nor the traditional third man) for the shot, which promptly landed in the fielder's palms. (AP)

Pant's approach of dealing with the New Zealand attack was better than just being in the shell, something that did more harm than good for Cheteshwar Pujara (15 off 80 balls).

Before Pujara, the extra bounce outside the off-stump had the Indian skipper Kohli falling for it and BJ Watling got the easiest of catches in his final game for the Black Caps. (AP)

Williamson got Wagner to come round the wicket to Jadeja and the left-arm "pounder" went wide enough to nearly cut the side crease and angled one for Jadeja to nick it behind the stumps. (AP)

When India batted, it was only Rishabh Pant (41), who was ready to live and die by the sword while his seniors found it difficult to play the game of survival against the canniest of pace attacks. (AP)