New Zealand beat India in World Test final

New Zealand enjoyed the greatest triumph in their cricket history as they beat India by eight wickets in the inaugural World Test Championship final at Southampton, AFP reported.

Two years after their agonizing Super Over loss to England in the 50-over World Cup final at Lord’s, the Blackcaps claimed their first major global title, AFP reported.

Set a modest target of 139 in 53 overs, New Zealand finished on 140-2 with time to spare in a match extended into a reserve sixth day following two days lost to rain.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin reduced New Zealand to 44-2 by removing openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway to the delight of India fans, AFP reported

But New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, the team’s most-experienced batsmen, settled any lingering nerves in an unbroken stand of 96.

Williamson, who won plaudits for the sporting way he dealt with defeat in the 2019 World Cup final, was 52 not out.

It was only the second fifty of the match after New Zealand opener Devon Conway’s first-innings effort and followed Williamson’s first-innings 49.

Taylor, who hit the winning boundary, was unbeaten on 47.

India’s last hope of turning the tide evaporated when, with New Zealand 55 runs shy of victory at 84-2, Cheteshwar Pujara dropped a regulation slip catch off the luckless Jasprit Bumrah to reprieve Taylor on 26.

Taylor ended the match when he whipped Mohammed Shami off his pads for four.

“It’s a very special feeling,” said Williamson at the presentation ceremony as he paid tribute to a “formidable” India side.