Southampton, June 24: Relying on “bits and pieces” players to be competitive in the absence of superstars has allowed them to reach the “pinnacle” of the game, said inspirational skipper Kane Williamson after leading New Zealand to their maiden world title.
With the World Test Championships triumph, the “nice guys” of world cricket have shown that they don’t always finish. The win over the mighty India has also made up for the hearbtreak of successive ODI World Cup final losses in 2015 and 2019.
Wiliamson termed their final win over India as the “pinnacle” but stop short of calling it the country’s biggest achievement in the game. “I’ve been part of (New Zealand cricket) for a short while, it’s a very special feeling, the first time in our history we’ve come away with a world title. We’ve had 22 players over the last two years, and they’ve all played their part and the support staff and the guys who played this match, it’s a special achievement to be savoured.
“We know we don’t always have the stars, we rely on other bits and pieces to stay in the game and be competitive,” said the likeable captain in the post-match presentation.
He said it is nice to be finally end up on the right side of the result. “Well, obviously it’s the pinnacle, isn’t it, really, being involved in the final. Like I said, a formidable side in India.
On the “nice guys” tag given to them, he said: “People can comment on that or tag us how they’d like…
“But it’s not about being anything other than authentic to us as a group and the sort of cricket that we want to play and the behaviors that is important to us day in, day out.”
The New Zealand cricketers are arguably the most likeable lot around the word, including India, and Williamson hoped the outcome of the final won’t change that.
“It’s nice that maybe we’re India’s second favourite team. I hope that still remains the case. It was a great game of cricket played in a fantastic spirit and very, very competitive and on a surface that was offering something throughout and every team had an opportunity to win, lose and draw on the last day.”
It was just the second major international trophy won by New Zealand in their history, following their ICC Knock Out triumph back in 2000.
“For us a very proud moment in our history and a proud moment just as a team really, to stick to what we do well and come away with the win, which is a really great feeling.” (PTI)
