A tenacious New Zealand lifted the inaugural World Test Championship title with a comfortable eight-wicket win over India on the sixth and final day of the marquee final in Southampton on Wednesday.
It is the first major ICC trophy for the Black Caps since 2000. They had ended runners-up at the 2019 ODI World Cup after losing the final to hosts England on boundary count. They had also lost the 2015 World Cup final to Australia.
The seasoned pair of skipper Kane Williamson (52) and Ross Taylor (47) took New Zealand past the finish line with their unbeaten 96-run partnership as they overhauled the 139-run target without much fuss.
New Zealand’s only other ICC event triumphs have come in the 2000 Knockout Trophy (men’s) and 2000 ODI World Cup (women’s).
Here are some of the best reactions to New Zealand’s triumph:
The winning moment! 👏🏽
— The Field (@thefield_in) June 23, 2021
🎥 BLACKCAPS #WTCFinal21 #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/qIZQoFJghU
144 years of Test cricket
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 23, 2021
The first-ever ICC WTC winner...
Stand up for the champions, New Zealand! 👏👏👏#ICCWTCFinal #WTCFinal #WorldTestChampionshipFinal #WTCFinal2021 #INDvNZ #Blackcaps pic.twitter.com/LBOl1CrvWh
TEAM FIRST. There are 15 players here but 22 players have represented the team during #WTC21.
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) June 23, 2021
Astle
Blundell
Boult
Conway
De Grandhomme
Ferguson
Henry
Jamieson
Latham
Mitchell
Nicholls
Patel
Phillips
Raval
Santner
Somerville
Southee
Taylor
Wagner
Watling
Williamson
Young pic.twitter.com/UrqD6uOa5T
ICC Tournament Wins by New Zealand 🇳🇿:
— Fox Sports Lab (@FoxSportsLab) June 23, 2021
2000 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy in Kenya
2000 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in NZ
2021 ICC Men's World Test Championship Final in England#WTCFinal #WTC21 #WTCFinal2021 #WTC2021Final #INDvNZ #INDvsNZ
2019 ⏩ 2021
— ICC (@ICC) June 23, 2021
“Nice guys do finish first!”#CWC19 | #WTC21 pic.twitter.com/6xN0sYY3DZ
This NZ team are like the Spartans! Just take a moment to think what they have achieved. The last two @ICC Men’s World Cup finalists & now this #WTCFinal! Outstanding work, not only inspiring young cricketers but leading by example of how to play in the right spirit. pic.twitter.com/HS5Ujzs7lz
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) June 23, 2021
Congrats @BLACKCAPS on winning the #WTC21. You were the superior team.#TeamIndia will be disappointed with their performance.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) June 23, 2021
As I had mentioned the first 10 overs will be crucial & 🇮🇳 lost both Kohli & Pujara in the space of 10 balls & that put a lot of pressure on the team. pic.twitter.com/YVwnRGJXXr
Congratulations @BLACKCAPS. Quality performance. Deserved win 👏🏻
— Sir Vivian Richards (@ivivianrichards) June 23, 2021
Congratulations NEW ZEALAND winning the test championship final .Absolutely top class effort from team India from last 2 years and being in the final . 👍👍👍@BLACKCAPS @BCCI 🙌🏻🙏
— Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) June 23, 2021
This is the first instance of New Zealand beating India in three successive Tests --
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) June 23, 2021
Wellington, 2020: By 10 wickets
Christchurch, 2020: By 7 wickets
Southampton, 2021: By 8 wickets ** #WTCFinal #WTC21 #INDvNZ
In ICC events - It is New Zealand 11, India 3#WorldCup - Ind 3, NZ 5#ChampionsTrophy - Ind 0, NZ 1#WorldT20 - Ind 0, NZ 2#Tests - Ind 0, NZ 3
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) June 23, 2021
Note: 14 March 2003 was the last time India won an ICC event match v NZ - in the WC2003 at Centurion.#WTCFinal2021#INDvsNZ#INDvNZ
New Zealand are an unassuming, humble side who play cricket as it should be played. Lots of hardworking, disciplined, skilled players. This is probably their best test side and you have to admire them.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 23, 2021
Good guys don’t always finish last….New Zealand have finally ended the two-decade ICC trophy drought. Even-stevens in the first innings but totally outplayed India in the second innings. Well done, 🇳🇿 #WTCFinal
— Wear a Mask. Stay Safe, India (@cricketaakash) June 23, 2021
Congratulations to BJ Watling on a fantastic career. Has been a great ambassador of the game and one of the most successful keeper-batsman over the last decade.
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) June 23, 2021
Fittingly, leaving the greatest format of the game with the greatest version of that trophy, one that noone had before pic.twitter.com/wbSpy7IVg2
Huge congratulations New Zealand - what a Test match, what a win #WTC2021
— Isa Guha (@isaguha) June 23, 2021
Jacinta Ardern as PM, negligible Covid cases, Kane Williamson as cricket captain, and now World Test Champions. Can someone point me to the New Zealand immigration website, please? #WTC21 #WTC2021Final
— Rahul Fernandes (@newspaperwallah) June 23, 2021
To team India and @imVkohli : You’ve been terrific over 2 years, done us proud. BUT red ball cricket in Eng requires match practise. We need to bat time to save matches: aggression is fine but defensive technique matters. More discipline, match awareness next time! #WTC2021
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) June 23, 2021
In men's senior cricket, New Zealand won two ICC tournament finals.
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) June 23, 2021
Both against India.
2000 CT (KnockOut) - India's first ICC tournament after Sourav Ganguly became captain.
2021 WTC - India's first ICC tournament after Sourav Ganguly became BCCI President#WTCFinal #INDvNZ
A contest worthy to be called a Final.
— DK (@DineshKarthik) June 23, 2021
The pendulum kept swinging both ways throughout the game but it was NZ who showed why they are the number 1 test side.
Congratulations to the @blackcaps!
Well played #TeamIndia, proud today and always! @bcci#WTCFinal #INDvNZ
Played, New Zealand! Williamson and Taylor there at the end, as it should be.
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) June 23, 2021
Superb performance by NZ, an already excellent team made into a champion one by the addition of Jamieson and Conway. They qualified by the barest of margins - the barest of margins - and have played a fine game, with a perfectly varied seam attack.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) June 23, 2021
New Zealand winning the inaugural #WTCFinal is almost poetic
— ZENIA D'CUNHA (@ZENIADCUNHA) June 23, 2021
An unassuming tournament not enjoyed or seen as profitable by many, has to be played over a long period of time with patience, needs everyone in the team to step up, won despite uncontrollable, challenging conditions.
For Crowe. For Hadlee. For Bert Sutcliffe. For Stewie Dempster. Also, for Dipak Patel.
— Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) June 23, 2021
India in ICC finals since 2014:
— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) June 23, 2021
2014 T20 WC: Lost
2017 Champions Trophy: Lost
2021 World Test Championship: Lost
💔 pic.twitter.com/KQ7j0LSoaU
Martin Crowe would have spilled his beer in heaven, superb Test, Kane Williamson's men are deserving victors, India did well and now onto the series against England...
— KC Vijaya Kumar (@kcvblr) June 23, 2021
Really happy for the @BLACKCAPS. They stayed on top throughout the game. Their bowlers were outstanding especially Kyle Jamieson! Well fought to @imVkohli and his men too, it was an engrossing battle. NZ continues to be the bogey team for India at ICC events.. #WTCFinal pic.twitter.com/YrMdegu2e4
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) June 23, 2021
Luteru Ross Poutoa Lote Taylor, 443 matches and 18,054 runs in all formats for @BLACKCAPS, hits the boundary that seals the World Test Championship. #WTC21 #INDvNZ
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) June 23, 2021
PS: It hurts a little less when the nicest guys in the sport win it. 🙂
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) June 23, 2021
Congratulations, New Zealand. 👏#WTCFinals | @BLACKCAPS pic.twitter.com/MqfsBXURgC
A great story of redemption for Kane Williamson after the heartbreak 2 years ago. Nice for Ross Taylor to finally get ICC silverware. New Zealand are popular winners. India have helped to make it a Beautiful occasion. #ICCWorldTestChampionship final.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) June 23, 2021
Congratulations to Black Caps fans. We deserve to cherish this win after everything we’ve been through.
— Sritama Panda (@cricketpun_duh) June 23, 2021
No this doesn’t make up for the WC, nothing ever will, but we’ll take this win orchestrated by two of our best cricketers ever.
This win is a gift to us from Kane and Ross.🖤
How fitting that Williamson and Taylor are the ones who steer NZ to victory. These two sides have given us such a brilliant, high quality final. Huge congratulations to the @BLACKCAPS & everyone who has been part of their incredible journey to the top. 🙌🏻 #WTCFinal #INDvNZ
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) June 23, 2021
Last three finals of ICC events held in England:
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) June 23, 2021
2017 Women's World Cup
2019 Men's World Cup
2021 Men's World Test Championship
What an extraordinary set of matches.#INDvNZ #WTC21 pic.twitter.com/OTMSB4MYP9
By a Great Batch of NZ cricketers.
— El Chopernos (@El_Chopernos) June 23, 2021
New Zealand deserve this and so does Kane Williamson. They lost a final they didn't really lose two years ago, but kept at it with hard work and grace.
— Rupin Kale (@Vegansportlover) June 23, 2021
Having seen this team up close, I've experienced how humble, kind and gracious they are.
They deserve the world. #WTCFinal
The crisis man of New Zealand, BJ Watling has retired, a great career, greatest New Zealand test wicket keeper batsman. They will miss him especially when kiwis need tough runs in tough situations. He moved away with the WTC title. Thank you for all memories, BJ.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 23, 2021
Ross Taylor started his first class the year New Zealand domestic players went on strike from jobs they didn't have. He is an amateur who became a pro. So did his team. 26 years for a Test win, 39 years for a series win, and 81 years for this.
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) June 23, 2021
From amateurs to champions.
Thats it! Thats the winning moment for @BlackCaps and the hurdle of loosing at knockouts continues for #TeamIndia but really enjoyed this competitive final! Congratulations New Zealand 👏👏 well deserved ! #WTC21 #NZvsIND #WTCFINAL #WTCFinal21 pic.twitter.com/NZqxjFqzgl
— Reema Malhotra (@ReemaMalhotra8) June 23, 2021
I only really have one problem with the World Test Championship and that’s how the hell are you meant to drink out of a mace???
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) June 23, 2021