New Zealand lifts World Test Championship trophy after beating India by 8 wickets

New Zealand enjoyed the greatest triumph in their cricket history as they beat India by eight wickets in the inaugural World Test Championship final at Southampton on June 23, 2021. Two years after their agonising ‘super over’ loss to England in the 50-over World Cup final at Lord's, the Blackcaps claimed their first major global title.

Two years after their agonising ‘super over’ loss to England in the 50-over World Cup final at Lord's, the Blackcaps claimed their first major global title. Credit: AFP Photo

Set a modest target of 139 in 53 overs, New Zealand finished on 140-2 with time to spare in a match extended into a reserve sixth day following two days lost to rain. Credit: AP Photo

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin reduced New Zealand to 44-2 by removing openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway to the delight of India fans. Credit: AFP Photo

But New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, the team's most-experienced batsmen, settled any lingering nerves in an unbroken stand of 96. Credit: Reuters Photo

Williamson, who won plaudits for the sporting way he dealt with defeat in the 2019 World Cup final, was 52 not out. Credit: Reuters Photo

It was only the second fifty of the match after New Zealand opener Devon Conway's first-innings effort and followed Williamson's first-innings 49. Credit: Reuters Photo

Taylor, who hit the winning boundary, was unbeaten on 47. Credit: AFP Photo

India's last hope of turning the tide evaporated when, with New Zealand 55 runs shy of victory at 84-2, Cheteshwar Pujara dropped a regulation slip catch off the luckless Jasprit Bumrah to reprieve Taylor on 26. Credit: AP Photo

Taylor ended the match when he whipped Mohammed Shami off his pads for four. Credit: AFP Photo

In a match where bowlers held sway, New Zealand's all-pace attack did most damage by dismissing India for just 170 in their second innings as blue skies provided the best batting conditions of the game. Credit: Reuters Photo

The towering Kyle Jamieson, named player of the match, followed his first-innings 5-31 by snaring India captain Virat Kohli again during a miserly 2-30 in 24 overs. Credit: AFP Photo

They entered a final worth $1.6 million to the winners, hardened by a recent 1-0 series win in England, while India were playing their first Test since March. Credit: Reuters Photo

The reserve day, the first time a Test has gone into a sixth day since the 2005 Super Series in Australia, was deployed in the hope a two-year effort to crown red-ball cricket's first official world champions would end with an outright winner. Credit: PTI Photo