Allardice said New Zealand displayed skill and temperament required to be the best Test team in the world.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) Acting CEO Geoff Allardice has on Friday (June 25) congratulated New Zealand on winning the inaugural ICC World Test Championship (WTC) after they thrashed India in the WTC 2021 Final at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton.
In the major ICC events, New Zealand reached back-to-back ODI World Cup finals in 2015 and 2019 since 2000. The ICC Test Championship title is the first major ICC trophy for New Zealand in the last 21 years.
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Allardice said on New Zealand WTC title triumph: “I would like to congratulate the first-ever World Test Champions, the Black Caps who displayed the skill and temperament required to be the best Test team in the world. I would also like to congratulate the Indian team, who performed so consistently to qualify for the Final and came so close to winning it.”
The ICC acting CEO said both New Zealand and India showed their quality and displayed outstanding game of Test cricket that will live long in the memories of cricket fans around the world. He added, “(It was) also played in a great spirit that highlighted the mutual respect between the teams.”
Hailing both New Zealand and India captain Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli, Allardice said: “Throughout the two-year World Test Championship, both Kane and Virat made no secret of their desire to win the Test Mace and that was clearly evident over the last six days. The quality of play was befitting of two best Test teams in the world and it was an enthralling game.”
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He concluded, “The conclusion of the first edition of the World Test Championship is a special moment for our sport as this is an event that has been so long in the making. But the last two years have clearly demonstrated the importance of context in Test cricket and I'm already looking forward to the second edition starting with England vs India in a little over a month.”
(With PTI Inputs)