New Zealand beat India in final, become first world Test champs

TIL Desk Sports/  New Zealand coasted to an unlikely eight-wicket win on the sixth, and reserve, day of the World Test Championship final against India here on Wednesday, after the rain-affected match ebbed and flowed over six days.

This is an apt redemption for New Zealand, who had lost the final of the last two 50-over World Cups, in 2015 and 2019. Also, this is New Zealand’s second major international trophy, following their ICC Knock Out triumph in 2000.

The match, in which two days were lost to rain, saw a strong performance from Kiwis on the reserve day as their bowlers ran through the Indian batting line-up and dismissed them for just 170 runs at the Hampshire Bowl. And then they scaled the 139-run target through a 96-run third-wicket partnership between Kane Williamson (52 not out) and Ross Taylor (47 not out).