New Zealand win inaugural World Test Championship after outlasting India

The Kiwis underline their status as the No.1 international red-ball team with an eight-wicket victory on the extra day at The Ageas Bowl

The Ageas Bowl (sixth day): India 217 & 170, New Zealand 249 & 140-2 - New Zealand won by eight wickets

Scorecard

New Zealand are the inaugural winners of the World Test Championship after claiming victory by eight wickets against India on the extra day of the final at The Ageas Bowl.

Captain Kane Williamson (52*) and Ross Taylor (47*) put on 96 for the third wicket to secure the win inside the final hour of a match which lost two days to rain.

The rain-dominated contest reached a definitive conclusion after India lost their last eight second-innings wickets for 99, setting the Black Caps just 139 to claim the title.

Tim Southee (4 for 48) and Trent Boult (3 for 39) combined as India's middle-order was blown away.

Kyle Jamieson only took two wickets but frugal spells plus the scalps of Cheteshwar Pujara (15) and Virat Kohli (11) was equally as important to providing a path to victory.

^{India had brief hope before New Zealand eased to victory}

Rishabh Pant struck a heroic, in the circumstances, 41 from 88 deliveries to at least ensure New Zealand had a sub-par total to chase.

A glimmer of hope was provided by Ravichandran Ashwin's two wickets in three overs, as openers Tom Latham (9) and Devon Conway (19) were unseated with 44 on the board.

But typically for Gary Stead's team, it was the reliable pair of Williamson and Taylor who saw them over the line on the sixth evening, after rain earlier in the match had activated the extra day, as brief India hope was extinguished.

It was a partial moment of redemption for this group of New Zealand players, some of whom were involved in the tied super over World Cup final two years when England won on boundary countback.

Indeed, it is the first senior ICC success claimed by the men's side since 2000 when they captured the Champions Trophy by beating India in Nairobi.

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