WTC final: 'Better team won in the conditions,' says coach Ravi Shastri after loss to New Zealand

New Zealand clinched the first-ever World Test Championship (WTC) title after beating India in the final by eight wickets at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. This was New Zealand's first-ever win in an ICC event since the 2000 Knockout Trophy, where too they beat the Indian team in the final.

With two complete days washed off due to rain, the possibility of a result looked too bleak as the match went to the reserve day. However, New Zealand's four-pronged pace attack was on fire from the get-go led by the tall pacer Kyle Jameson, who took the big wickets of skipper Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara in the morning session to peg India back.

India couldn't recover from it and New Zealand bowled out India for just 170 and chased the 139-run target down pretty comfortably with their two most experienced batters on the crease in skipper Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor.

After the match, Indian head coach Ravi Shastri took to Twitter to congratulate the New Zealand side saying that they were the better team in the conditions and they deserved to win the title.

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.

— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) June 24, 2021

While the New Zealand side will head home, the Indian contingent will stay in England for the five-match Test series against the hosts England starting on August 4, in Nottingham.