New Zealand beat India to win World Test Championship

Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson celebrate after seeing New Zealand through to a hard-fought victory 

BBC Sport: New Zealand were crowned the first Test world champions after completing a stunning eight-wicket win over India on a dramatic sixth day of the final in Southampton.

A draw looked likely when play began but New Zealand dismissed India and completed a tricky chase of 139 with relative ease as time ran out.

India resumed 64-2, 32 ahead, only for Kyle Jamieson to remove captain Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara before their lead had passed 40.

Rishabh Pant gave India hope with a counter-attacking 41 but skied a catch to Henry Nicholls, who clung on brilliantly running back from gully.

Pant’s wicket sparked the loss of the last four wickets for 14 runs and left India 40 short of what would have been a challenging target. New Zealand lost openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway with the finish line more than 100 runs away but captain Kane Williamson and the experienced Ross Taylor steered New Zealand home superbly.

Williamson, who crucially overturned an lbw dismissal when on one, finished 52 not out and Taylor, put down on 27 by Pujara, unbeaten on 47 as New Zealand won with seven overs left.

It saw New Zealand topple cricket’s superpower India and claim the biggest win in their history – their first triumph in a major global cricket tournament.

The action on the reserve day, needed because of all the time lost to the weather earlier in the match, also provided a fitting finale to the World Test Championship which was introduced in 2019 to provide greater context to the world’s oldest and longest format. 

This was Test cricket at its best – a race for runs and wickets with the ticking clock adding further intrigue.

Throughout it all, New Zealand, as is their style, managed to look typically calm, despite the atmosphere from the crowd of around 3,000 spectators largely supporting their opposition.

After the Black Caps’ bowlers broke open the match, their batting line-up held their nerve.

A start was provided by the openers before Latham unwisely came down the pitch to Ashwin and was stumped. India’s off-spinner the had Conway lbw with 106 still needed.

The crucial moment came when Williamson was given out lbw by umpire Michael Gough. It was a straight ball from Ashwin and, after calling for a review, the captain was reprieved when ball-tracking showed the ball would have missed leg stump.

The crowd’s delirium turned to quiet disappointment.

From there Williamson and Taylor weathered an initial storm before becoming more expansive in their unbroken partnership of 96. 

Williamson was dropped on 45 by Bumrah but at that point the win was already certain.

Taylor completed the win by flicking four through the leg side, a moment that was calmly celebrated by the players but done so wildly by a section of 100 or so New Zealand supporters in the stands.

It is a win few will begrudge Williamson’s side after their heartbreaking loss on these shores in the 2019 World Cup final against England.

India fall at final hurdle

India, who qualified for this final by finishing top of the points table ahead of second-placed New Zealand, will ultimately rue their batting efforts in this match.

Despite conceding a 32-run first-innings lead, they began the final day with hope of victory but those hopes soon faded through wasteful batting and fine New Zealand bowling.

Kohli was removed by Jamieson for the second time in the match in the sixth over of the day, the India captain pushing at a wide ball he could have left and edging through to wicketkeeper BJ Watling.

Pujara followed in Jamieson’s next over, edging to first slip when unsure whether to play or leave.

Pant kept any slim hopes alive with an attacking knock – he put on 37 with Ajinkya Rahane and 33 with Ravindra Jadeja – but when he was caught India’s lower order folded in the face of more fine bowling from Tim Southee and Trent Boult.

Urged on by Kohli, the India supporters roared their bowlers on and their effort could not be faulted. 

Had Pujara taken a straightforward first slip chance to dismiss Taylor when 55 were still needed, things may have been different. Ultimately, India did not have enough runs to defend.

They now have more than a month in the UK before a five-Test series against England, which marks the start of the next Test Championship cycle, begins on 4 August.