Kane Williamson was ecstatic as New Zealand beat India in the WTC Final as they successfully chased 139 eventually winning by 8 wickets. Coming perilously close to winning World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019, New Zealand realised their dream of being World Champions when they beat India in the final of the inaugural World Test Championship to take the title.
Kane Williamson Praised All The 22 Players Who Played A Role In New Zealand’s First ICC Trophy In 21 Years And 2nd After 2000 Champions Trophy Win
A little less than two years ago, Kane Williamson’s New Zealand endured heartbreak when they tied England in the World Cup final but lost the match on a boundary count rule, but redemption was theirs in Southampton as the Black Caps clinched their first ICC trophy in over two decades.
“It’s a special feeling. It’s nice to get one under the belt. I’d like to thank Virat and the Indian team. The heart that our team showed was commendable. It’s the first time we have come away with a world title, and the 22 players who played a big part in getting across the line deserve all the appreciation,” winning captain Kane Williamson said after the match.
“This will be remembered for a long time. We don’t always have all the stars, and we saw that in this match. We saw so much heart and commitment. We know how strong the Indian side is, in all conditions.”
New Zealand’s first ICC crown came in the form of the Champions Trophy which they won beating India in 2000. The Kiwis had made the summit clashes of the last two ODI World Cups – 2015 and 2019 – but failed to cross the final hurdle.
Kane Williamson: Fitting End To A Fantastic Career For BJ Watling
The WTC wins a lot for plenty of New Zealanders especially for Kane Williamson, who has been absolutely phenomenal ever since taking over as the captain of the side, for Ross Taylor, who has been a linchpin of their batting order for as long as one can remember, for pacer Kyle Jamieson, as the all-rounder couldn’t have asked for a better first ICC final of his career, and veteran BJ Watling, who ended his career on a glorious high.
“It’s a fickle game, in a one-off final. It ebbed and flowed, no one really had the upper hand for six days, and I’m happy we’re on the right side of it. It was certainly tough going in the first innings. The lower order played with more freedom and got us a lead that gave us an edge,” Williamson added.
“Ross is obviously very experienced and calm in these situations and it was great to be with him right there at the end. BJ Watling – I don’t know if he’s retiring anymore actually (jokes). He’s a scrappy player, so this is a fitting end to a fantastic career for BJ Watling.”
Between 2009 and 2012, BJ Watling played only eight Tests – the first six as a specialist batsman – before settling into the role of New Zealand’s full-time wicketkeeper for the longer format in 2013. He played 75 Tests and has 8 tons massing 3790 runs averaging 37.52.
In a career spanning over a decade-and-a-half, Ross Taylor is New Zealand’s most-capped cricketer with over 400 international matches across all formats. The 37-year-old is also his country’s leading run-scorer in international cricket and has recorded over 18,000 international runs.
Kyle Jamieson has played only 8 Tests but already has 46 wickets to his name at an extraordinary average of 14.17 with as many as 5 five-wicket hauls. He has also played 5 ODIs and 8 T20Is where he doesn’t have as much success with the ball as that in red-ball cricket.