India also had a fair shot at winning WTC final: Kane Williamson

When India lost the final of the ICC World Test Championship final 2021 to New Zealand, it took fans some time to come to terms with it which just a couple of hours before that, seemed unlikely. A lot of experts pointed out the dismissals of Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara in the first hour of day six as the turning point. However, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson has downplayed that.

According to the Blackcaps skipper, India had a fair shot at victory even after the wickets of Kohli and Pujara fell. Going into the final day, India was placed at 64 for 2, with a lead of 32 runs. At this time, the chances of a New Zealand win were far greater than an Indian win, yet the chances of a draw was more than 50%, according to the metrics shown during the broadcast.

Williamson expressed that, the way Rishabh Pant and the Indian team counter-attacked the New Zealand bowlers, the chances of their win also increased, and the draw went out of the equation. Williamson felt that the surface was offering a lot to the bowlers, which also kept India in the match.

“For us it was very much going in the day, expecting every result was realistic and trying to do as well as we could. Nothing different from the last few days and see how games unfurl and opportunity arises. It was great to take early wickets on that, which set up more chances of result on that day.

“India counter-attacked after that, India had a fair shot too. The surface was offering to bowlers. It was intense for us,” Williamson stated, during an interview with India Today. 

NZ tour of England was booked coincidentally, states Williamson

Speaking about the two-match Test series against England ahead of the ICC World Test Championship final, the Kiwi skipper said it was coincidental. In the hindsight, those two matches gave New Zealand better preparation, than India, who played just a single intra-squad match ahead of the big final.

“It is very hard to know what the better preparation is. India was as competitive and as strong as we were expecting and are a world-class cricket team. I suppose that tour was booked coincidentally before making it to the WTC final. It was about trying to get the right balance for us with three Tests in quick succession,” Kane Williamson signed off.