WTC final: "It's nice to get one under the belt," - Kane Williamson reacts after guiding New Zealand to their first ICC trophy
Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor stitched a match-winning 96-run stand on a difficult Southampton wicket to beat India by eight wickets to win the inaugural edition of the ICC World Test Championship.
The Kiwis thoroughly dominated India to emerge as the winners. Chasing 139 runs on the final day, they were in a spot of bother after Ravichandran Ashwin removed both openers.
However, with two of New Zealand's legends in the middle, the Black Caps sailed past the target well within the required time. Reacting to one of the best days in New Zealand cricket, Kane Williamson stated that everyone who is a part of the team deserves credit and said:
"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."
I am happy we are on the right side: Kane Williamson
New Zealand had someone stepping up to the task every time they needed one in the WTC final. While it was Kyle Jamieson's fifer and Devon Conway's timely half-century in the first innings, Tim Southee and Trent Boult bowled superbly in the second essay.
They were backed by equally outstanding batting from Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor.
The Kiwi skipper highlighted the heart and commitment of every player in the New Zealand team and said:
"We don't always have all the stars, and we saw that in this match. We saw so much heart and commitment. We know how strong the Indian side is, in all conditions. It's a fickle game, in a one-off final. It ebbed and flowed, no one really had the upper hand for six days, and I'm happy we're on the right side of it."