New Zealand win inaugural World Test Championship

New Zealand have won the inaugural ICC World Test Championship after a dramatic final day of cricket at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. The Blackcaps ran through the Indian batting lineup on the 6th morning, dismissing the Men in Blue for only 170 runs before chasing the 139-run target with relative ease. Fittingly for New Zealand, two of their modern-day legends – Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson – guided them home in their run chase to give the Kiwis their first world title.

New Zealand were rampant in the morning session, troubling the Indian batsmen with their seam and swing movement and dismissing the two pillars of their batting line-up, Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara. Once again it was Kyle Jamieson who posed the biggest challenge to India with his high release point and removed Pujara and Kohli within the space of 11 balls, drawing an outside edge from both batters to put India in a spot of bother at 72-4.

The Men in Blue fought back through Rishabh Pant, who launched a counter-attack alongside Ajinkya Rahane and then Ravindra Jadeja. The left-hander was happy to take the game to New Zealand but ran out of partners before eventually top-edging Trent Boult for 41.

The Blackcaps wasted no time in finishing off India’s tail, picking up the final 4 wickets for only 14 runs. Mohammad Shami provided brief entertainment with the bat but was caught at fly slip by Tom Latham after a wonderful fielding change from Kane Williamson. Southee wrapped up the innings 4 balls later with the dismissal of Bumrah, leaving New Zealand with a target of 139 runs in 53 overs to win the inaugural World Test Championship.

The Kiwi openers started cautiously with Virat Kohli handing the new ball to Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami instead of Jasprit Bumrah – who went wicketless in the match.

However, with two left-handers at the crease, it was Ravichandran Ashwin who made the breakthrough to give India a lifeline in the final. The off-spinner dismissed Tom Latham for the second time in the game with a lovely piece of flight and turn before trapping Devon Conway at the crease with the straighter one. 

The nerves started to build for New Zealand at 44-2 but their two most experienced batters – Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor – weathered the storm and guided them home. Williamson survived an overturned LBW decision and a dropped catch to finish with an unbeaten half-century while Ross Taylor scored 47* and hit the winning boundary to crown New Zealand as the maiden World Test Champions.

The Black Caps were deserved winners of this gripping final and with this historic victory, the Kiwis have finally made up for their heartbreak in the 2019 World Cup at Lord’s.