WTC final: "He can take the game away from you, I was very relieved when Rishabh Pant was out"- Tim Southee
Tim Southee has divulged that he was very relieved to see the back of Rishabh Pant on Day 6 of the World Test Championship (WTC) final. The Kiwi pacer had dropped Pant earlier off the bowling of Kyle Jamieson. Southee felt he had given away his side's chances of winning the WTC after putting down the Indian wicket-keeper at slip.
Pant perished after lunch for 41 on the final day as he tried to play an extravagant shot off Trent Boult. The Kiwis, in the end, secured a comfortable win by 8 wickets to win their first major ICC event since 2000.
Speaking with Matt & Jerry on the Hauraki Breakfast from MIQ, Tim Southee added that dropping a catch is the worst feeling on the cricket field.
"I'd be lying if it (that he dropped the chance for winning the WTC final) didn't go through my head. Just because of the nature of the way that Pant played. He can take the game away from you in the space of five or six overs. So what was already in a tight game there was some demons thrown around inside my head. But I had to drop those as I bowled the next over. You've just got to suck it up and move on. But I was very relieved when Pant was out. It was a horrible feeling. Probably the worst feeling for a cricketer when you drop a catch, you feel like you're letting your mates down."
Tim Southee had a fruitful outing in the WTC final, picking up five wickets over the course of two innings. The 32-year-old also made a vital contribution with the bat lower down the order by adding 30 crucial runs in the first innings.
Tim Southee auctions his WTC final jersey to help 8-year-old in cancer fight
After winning on the field, Tim Southee continued winning hearts off of it as well. The seamer recently put one of his WTC final jerseys up for auction to help an 8-year-old fight cancer. Southee's jersey was signed by all the players in New Zealand's 15-member squad for the WTC final.
Eight-year-old Beattie was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called neuroblastoma, which she has been fighting since 2018. Southee recently shared a heartfelt post on his Instagram informing his fans about the news.