Kane Williamson and New Zealand wore their heart on their sleeves as they defeated India by 8 wickets to win the inaugural World Test Championship on June 23 in Southampton on Wednesday. It ended their ICC trophy drought and was a fitting farewell to BJ Watling, who played his last Test match.

“It’s a special feeling. It’s nice to get one under the belt. I’d like to thank Virat and the Indian team. The heart that our team showed was commendable. It’s the first time we have come away with a world title, and the 22 players who played a big part in getting across the line deserve all the appreciation. This will be remembered for a long time,” Kane Williamson said during the post-match ceremony.

Talking about how the match was played over the six days, Williamson said: “It’s a fickle game, in a one-off final. It ebbed and flowed, no one really had the upper hand for six days, and I’m happy we’re on the right side of it.”

The New Zealand captain didn’t fail to mention Ross Taylor who played an anchor and kept the scoreboard ticking.

“Ross is obviously very experienced and calm in these situations and it was great to be with him right there at the end. BJ Watling – I don’t know if he’s retiring any more actually (jokes). He’s a scrappy player, so this is a fitting end to a fantastic career for BJ Watling,” Williamson ended.