Ravi Shastri's 'respect New Zealand' tweet goes viral after WTC final

India head coach Ravi Shastri’s congratulatory tweet for inaugural World Test Championship winners New Zealand went viral on Twitter almost like a ‘tracer bullet’ on Thursday. Terming New Zealand ‘the better team in the conditions,’ Shastri said ‘respect’ to the Kiwis for finally ending their drought for an ICC trophy.

New Zealand ended their 21-year-long wait for an ICC trophy by beating India in WTC finals by 8 wickets at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton on Wednesday.

Shastri said New Zealand were the deserving winners.

"Better team won in the conditions. Deserved winners after the longest wait for a World Title. Classic example of Big things don't come easy. Well played, New Zealand. Respect," wrote Shastri on Twitter a day after the final.

India captain Virat Kohli, in the post-match presentation, had also credited New Zealand for their stunning performance in the final.

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“First up, a big congratulations to Kane and his team. They've shown great consistency and heart, and pull off a result in three days. They put us under pressure throughout the Test and did extremely well to win,” Kohli said.

After rain washed out two days and interrupted play on pretty much all five days, the final went into the reserve day with a draw being the most likely result.

Under bright sunshine, the New Zealand seamers led by Tim Southee, who picked up four wickets, turned things around by bowling India out for 170 in the second innings.

Chasing a target of 139 in the remaining 53 overs, captain Kane Williamson then hit an unbeaten fifty and Ross Taylor scored 47 as New Zealand won the match and the WTC title.

“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. 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,” said Williamson after the match.