Sports News

New Zealand Defy Size With Sheer Class
And Power, As They Beat India To WTC

Mace
New Zealand enjoyed the greatest triumph in their cricket history as they beat India by eight
wickets in the inaugural World Test Championship final at Southampton on Wednesday. Two
years after their agonising Super Over loss to England in the 50-over World Cup final at Lord's, the
Blackcaps claimed their first major global title. Set a modest target of 139 in 53 overs, New
Zealand finished on 140-2 with time to spare in a match extended into a reserve sixth day
following two days lost to rainOff-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin reduced New Zealand to 44-2 by
removing openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway to the delight of India fans.
But New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, the team's most-experienced
batsmen, settled any lingering nerves in an unbroken stand of 96.
Williamson, who won plaudits for the sporting way he dealt with defeat in the 2019 World Cup
final, was 52 not out. It was only the second fifty of the match after New Zealand opener Devon
Conway's first-innings effort and followed Williamson's first-innings 49.
Taylor, who hit the winning boundary, was unbeaten on 47.

India's last hope of turning the tide evaporated when, with New Zealand 55 runs shy of victory at
84-2, Cheteshwar Pujara dropped a regulation slip catch off the luckless Jasprit Bumrah to
reprieve Taylor on 26.
Taylor ended the match when he whipped Mohammed Shami off his pads for four.
"Great heart"
"It's a very special feeling," said Williamson at the presentation ceremony as he paid tribute to a
"formidable" India side.
"It was just great the heart that our team showed to get across the line in what was a brilliant Test.
"We know we don't always have the stars -- we rely on a few other bits and pieces to try and stay
in games and be competitive and I think we saw that in this match."
In a match in which bowlers held sway, New Zealand's all-pace attack did most damage
Wednesday by dismissing India for just 170 in their second innings as blue skies provided the best
batting conditions of the game.
Tim Southee took 4-48 in 19 overs, with longtime new-ball partner Trent Boult striking twice in an
over during his 3-39.
The towering Kyle Jamieson, named player of the match, followed his first-innings 5-31 by snaring
India captain Virat Kohli again during a miserly 2-30 in 24 overs.
"We did really well with the ball in the first innings to pull things back nicely but this morning was
the difference, where the Kiwi bowlers really executed their plans to perfection," said Kohli, whose
side face England in a five-Test series starting in August.
New Zealand would have confronted an even smaller target had Rishabh Pant not been dropped
on five during his innings of 41.
Few cricket lovers would begrudge New Zealand, a country with a population of around five million
compared with cricket powerhouse's India's 1.3 billion, their success.
They entered a final worth $1.6 million to the winners, hardened by a recent 1-0 series win in
England, while India were playing their first Test since March.
The reserve day, the first time a Test has gone into a sixth day since the 2005 Super Series in
Australia, was deployed in the hope a two-year effort to crown red-ball cricket's first official world
champions would end with an outright winner.
India resumed on 64-2, with key batsman Kohli adding just five runs to his overnight eight when he
again fell to Royal Challengers Bangalore team-mate Jamieson, edging to BJ Watling in the
wicketkeeper's final match before retirement.
India's 71-3 became 72-4 when Pujara edged Jamieson low to a diving Taylor at first slip.
In came Pant, whose batting heroics helped India achieve a remarkable come-from-behind series
win in Australia earlier this year.
But the wicketkeeper should have been out soon afterwards when he edged Jamieson, only for
Southee to drop a routine slip chance.
Pant eventually fell when his skied edge off left-armer Boult was brilliantly caught by Henry
Nicholls, running back from point.
Euro Cup 2021 round of 16
full schedule, match time, live
telecast in India
The knockout phase of Euro Cup 2021 will begin from June 26 as group stage has ended
with some high-octane clashes on June 24 (Indian time). The last day of the group stage
saw the Group of Death live up to its expectations. France, Germany,
and Portugal qualified from group F while Hungary was eliminated. However, it wasn’t an
easy ride for the Portuguese and the Germans. For a considerable amount of time, these
two teams were on their way out before they managed to find their spots in next round of
Euro 2020.
A late equalizer from Leon Goretzka saved the day for the Germans, ending Hungary’s
glorious attempt. Portugal, in the other game, took lead against the World Champions
before Karim Benzema scored twice on either side of the break to give the French side
lead. However, Cristiano Ronaldo lived up to his star status, scoring his second penalty of
the day to level the score. Defending champions Portugal finished third on the table,
qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams.
Ronaldo and his team will now have to travel to Seville in Spain to face World number 1 in
FIFA rankings Belgium in round of 16 match. Both favourites to win the tournament, they
couldn’t have asked for a more difficult tie. Belgium had a perfect 9 points in the group
stage, while Portugal was able to survive the Group of Death. Bet on your own risk!
Another Group F survivor, Germany will travel to Wembley Stadium in London to take on
England. The three lions’ last victory over the Germans came in a competitive game was
way back in 2001. Considering, Germany’s inconsistency, the English side may not have a
better time than this to record a win. Group winners and world champions France will take
on Switzerland in Bucharest.
In group E, Spain finally woke up to hammer Slovakia 5-0, equaling Euro’s record winning
margin. The team will now face 2018 World Cup finalist Croatia in Copenhagen. Group E
winner Sweden will take on Ukraine who took the last of the four spots available for third-
placed teams.
In the group stage, the only teams other than Belgium to score all 9 points were Italy and
the Netherlands. While Italy will take on Austria in London, Netherlands will play Czech
Republic in Budapest. Christian Eriksen’s Denmark will take on Wales in Amsterdam.
The round of 16 will begin on June 26, 2021 after a break of two days.

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New Zealand Defy Size With Sheer Class

And Power, As They Beat India To WTC

Taylor, who hit the winning boundary, was unbeaten on 47.

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