WTC Final: IND vs NZ, Day 5 – Mohammed Shami’s stunning spell keeps India’s hopes alive

The rain stayed away and we had some riveting cricketing action on Day 5 of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final between India and New Zealand. At the end of the day’s play, India posted 64/2 after 30 overs. The Indian side lost both their openers, Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma. While Gill scored 8, Sharma was dismissed for 30. New Zealand were bowled out for 249 in their first innings. On that note, let us take a look at the three talking points of the day.

3. Jasprit Bumrah goes wicketless

As many as 5 Indian bowlers rolled their arms over in the WTC Final against New Zealand, and only one of them went wicketless. And, that was Jasprit Bumrah. The right-arm pacer toiled hard with the ball but was not rewarded with a wicket. Bumrah sent down 26 overs and gave away 57 runs in his spell.

The New Zealand willow wielders played out Bumrah safely. Even though he sent down 9 maiden overs, a wicket eluded Bumrah.

2. Mohammed Shami’s superb spell shatters New Zealand

Mohammed Shami bowled with fire and rattled the New Zealand batsmen with the red cherry. He bowled 26 overs and scalped as many as 4 Kiwi batsmen. Shami generated bounce and got the ball to move prodigiously as well.

He always created chances and was one step ahead of the batsmen. And surely, he was the standout performer with the ball for India on Day 5.

1. Kane Williamson grinds it out

The conditions were by no means easy for the batsmen. The willow wielders had to work hard for every run, and that is exactly what batting legend Kane Williamson did. Williamson occupied the crease for 177 deliveries and scored 49 runs at a strike rate of just 27.68. Caution was the order of the day for the Kiwi batting maestro.

He held the New Zealand innings together, and his patient knock was the main reason why they were able to take a lead of 32 runs in the first innings against Virat Kohli and his men.