World Test Championship Final: ICC acting CEO Geoff Allardice lauds Kiwis' 'skill and temperament' in title triumph

Dubai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday congratulated New Zealand on clinching the inaugural World Test Championship title by beating India in a riveting final.

File image of ICC interim CEO Geoff Allardice. Image credit: Twitter/@ICC

It is the first major ICC trophy for New Zealand, who had reached back-to-back ODI World Cup final in 2015 and 2019, since 2000.

An incredibly tight game saw the Black Caps bowl out India for 170 in the second innings, leaving them 139 to chase for victory at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton on Wednesday.

Geoff Allardice, ICC acting CEO, said, "I would like to congratulate the first ever World Test Champions, the Black Caps who displayed the skill and temperament required to be the best Test team in the world.

"I would also like to congratulate the Indian team, who performed so consistently to qualify for the Final and came so close to winning it."

Allardice said both teams showed their quality and it was an outstanding game of Test cricket that will live long in the memories of cricket fans around the world.

"(It was) also played in a great spirit that highlighted the mutual respect between the teams," he said.

After a complete wash-out on the first and fourth days respectively, the marquee final stretched to the reserved day with New Zealand ultimately lifting the Test Mace.

"Throughout the two-year World Test Championship, both Kane and Virat made no secret of their desire to win the Test Mace and that was clearly evident over the last six days. The quality of play was befitting of two best Test teams in the world and it was an enthralling game," Allardice said.

The final was a culmination of two-and-a-half years of men's Test cricket, after the WTC was introduced in 2019 to give greater context to the longest format.

"The conclusion of the first edition of the World Test Championship is a special moment for our sport as this is an event that has been so long in the making.

"But the last two years have clearly demonstrated the importance of context in Test cricket and I'm already looking forward to the second edition starting with England vs India in a little over a month," Allardice said.