‘Surface was offering to bowlers’: Kane Williamson explains how India had a ‘fair shot’ at winning the WTC Final

The final of the World Test Championship going into the reserve day increased the possibility of getting a winner of the game, which was badly affected by rain. India began their batting on 64 for 2 and were bowled out for 170, setting New Zealand just 139 runs to chase. In reply, skipper Kane Williamson scored an unbeaten 52 while Ross Taylor remained not-out at 47 as the Black Caps thumped India by 8 wickets to become the world champions.

After reaching home with the prestigious Test mace, the New Zealand skipper stated that India had a ‘fair shot’ of winning the WTC final. While speaking in an interview with India Today, Williamson said that the early wickets Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara set up the chances of a result in the reserve day.

“For us it was very much going in the day, expecting every result was realistic and trying to do as well as we could. Nothing different from the last few days and see how games unfurl and opportunity arises. It was great to take early wickets on that, that set up more chances of result on that day,” Williamson was quoted as saying.

“India team counter-attacked after that, India had a fair shot too. Surface was offering to bowlers. It was intense for us,” he added.

The fall of Kohli and Pujara triggered the batting collapse of Team India. Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant looked to stabilize the innings. But the moment he thought hammering down the ground, he got caught on 41 off Trent Boult bowling. The Indian tail didn’t wag as the lower order added just 14 runs to the total after Pant’s dismissal.

Young pacer Kyle Jamieson was the pic of New Zealand bowlers as he returned with 7 wickets to his credit, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings. He garnered the limelight for getting the better of Kohli in both innings.