The final of the World Test Championship had been severely affected by the weather in Southampton. A couple of days were lost while the game suffered from continuous interruptions because of showers or bad light on the remaining days. Thankfully, that is where an extra reserve day – Day 6 – came to the help.
Day 6 increased the chances for both sides to get a result out of the match. The final day also saw the best weather in Southampton during the entire Test with the Sun shining bright almost throughout the day.
India began Day 6 while batting on 64 for 2 and ended up being cleaned up for 170, giving New Zealand a target of 139. The Blackcaps openers began well, but it was Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor’s partnership in the middle that proved enough to take New Zealand to glory. They thumped India by eight wickets to become the very first champions of the World Test Championship.
Having lifted the prestigious Test mace, Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson asserted that India had proper chances of winning the World Test Championship Final. Speaking to India Today, he suggested that the early dismissals of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli tilted the game in their favour on the reserve day.
“For us it was very much going in the day, expecting every result was realistic and trying to do as well as we could. Nothing different from the last few days and see how games unfurl and opportunity arises. It was great to take early wickets on that, that set up more chances of result on that day,” Williamson said.
“India team counter-attacked after that, India had a fair shot too. Surface was offering to bowlers. It was intense for us,” he added.
Kane Williamson was full of praise for his opponents in the final. Labelling India’s pace attack as ‘the best in the world,’ he was confident that India would win many more matches in the future.
“No doubt they will win plenty more, you know their quality.
“They are relentless, they have a pace-attack which is best in the world, incredible spin bowlers and batting needs no mention. The depth that they have created,” Williamson concluded.
