Highlights, India vs New Zealand, WTC Final Day 1 at Southampton, Full Cricket Score: Play called off on opening day due to incessant rain

19:29 (IST)

A long day of waiting for the play to begin comes to an end. Frustrating for the teams, and for the fans and for everyone but that is something all the stakeholders of the game live with. Also, 98 overs to be bowled tomorrow as 15 minutes each will be added in lunch and tea sessions. This is to accomodate the overs lost on the opening day.

Hopefully, tomorrow the cloud clears and the smiles are back on our faces and there is no more wait. 

For now, it is good-bye from us. Thank you for being with us today. 

19:19 (IST)

Alright, that's that for Day 1 as the officials have decided to abandon the day's play. Half an hour back, the hopes were raised after the rain had stopped and there was an inspection scheduled for 7.30 pm (IST) but soon it started pouring again and eventually the decision was made to call off the first day of the opening day. 

Not to forget that there is a reserve day for this all-important WTC final so nothing to be worry about loss of time. Both teams will be hoping that weather improves tomorrow and we can see all 90 overs being bowled.

19:00 (IST)

Not a single delivery bowled so far, but Cricket Twitter's certainly keeping the banter going to fill the void

18:36 (IST)

Well, we have some good news!

18:35 (IST)

Well, something to ponder over. However Kohli in the pre-match conference had said that the weather forecast had no bearing over the selection of the team. 

"For us, it is about covering all the bases and making sure that we take the strongest side we can be on the park, which gives us batting depth and gives us enough bowling options as well," Kohli said.

"We are quite clear in terms of what we want to do. The forecast is something we are not focused on. We are not going to think too much about what might change. We are not bothered with what the weather holds."

18:22 (IST)

News from England women vs India Women 

Well, not good news from Bristol. It's raining there and the start of post-lunch session has been delayed.

Follow live over-by-over updates and full scorecard here

18:05 (IST)

It appears it has stopped raining at the Ageas Bowl for the time being, visuals of ground staff mopping away at the covers and Indian players stepping out of the dressing room, walking along the boundary making for promising signs after much of the opening day has been lost to inclement weather.

It has been raining since last night, and through the morning, leading to the first session getting washed out and the toss getting delayed.

17:54 (IST)

Mandhana dismissed early!

After being made to follow, things just got worse for the Indians in the one-off women's Test against England as senior pacer Katherine Brunt removes opener Smriti Mandhana — who made 76 in the first innings — for 8 at the stroke of lunch on Day 3, leaving India at 29/1 at the interval.

Can Shafali Varma and the rest of the batting order save the day for the visitors?

Follow live over-by-over updates and full scorecard here

17:40 (IST)

"Look at Leeds in 2002 or 2018 South Africa, we batted first in bowling friendly conditions, soaked in the initial pressure, put runs on the board and that's how won those games."

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who at one point was the nation's most successful captain, says batting first the ideal decision for the captain winning the toss on seamer-friendly tracks. Important for Kohli and Williamson to keep that in mind given the Ageas Bowl track for the WTC final has been prepared to support pace, bounce and carry.

Read: In seaming conditions, ideal to bat first and soak in pressure, says Sourav Ganguly

17:23 (IST)

"Against a quality side, it is also very important to keep things simple, and realistic"

India limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma, who sealed his place in the Test side as the first-choice opener over the last couple of years, has stressed on keeping things simple and not overthinking when up against a team of New Zealand's calibre.

Click here to read the full story

17:11 (IST)

India collapse like a house of cards!

Another batting collapse on English soil this month, but thankfully for the home team, they're not the ones at the receiving end this time as India throw away the advantage of a solid 167-run opening stand, losing 10 wickets for a meagre 64 runs to get bundled out for 231 in the one-off women's Test in Bristol. In the process, they fall short of avoiding follow-on by 16 runs after England posted 396/9 declared in their first innings. England skipper Heather Knight opted to enforce the follow-on right away.

Follow live over-by-over updates and full scorecard here

16:54 (IST)

This is a stellar line up of commentators for WTC 21 final. Which team are you rooting for?

16:24 (IST)

While it continues to rain in Southampton, let us revisit a special knock that was played by legendary Kapil Dev, 38 years ago, on this day, in England during the '83 World Cup.

We are talking about the 175 not-out that Kapil Dev played to help India beat Zimbabwe after all seemed lost.

Click here to read about it.

16:02 (IST)

Still no good news!

The visuals are not good. The covers are still on. It is still raining and in Nasser Hussain's words, "it does not look good". 

15:59 (IST)

We play better when we have our backs against the walls. We like to be underdogs. India are fantastic, cricket is a religion over there. It is like 5 million fans vs the 1.4 billion. But I am sure Kiwis will be supporting us. 

- Ross Taylor

We are a very close bunch of players. We are small in number as a nation. We play as a collective unit and play for a common goal. 

- Kane Williamson

(Via Star Sports)

15:50 (IST)

The teams will be playing for history at Southampton and here's a piece of art that one of the captains will be holding at the end of the Test, or wait, maybe the both captains. 

15:40 (IST)

"India’s success story in international cricket under the captaincy of Kohli has been scripted, more often than not, by this combination. It is, thus, inevitable that the team has picked its best five bowlers in a match as crucial as the WTC final."

In his analysis which was originally published on News18.com, Ameya Bhise looks at the three-pacer-two-spinner bowling unit picked by Virat Kohli and Co for the WTC Final and how crucial it could be to India's chances.

Read: Virat Kohli picks fab five to bowl out Kane Williamson’s team twice

15:30 (IST)

In case you missed it:

The first session on Day 1 has been washed out due to heavy rain at Southampton, as a result of which the toss has also got delayed. The gloomy weather predicted for the next few days for the southern English city certainly is a major worry for the two teams, organisers as well as fans who have bought tickets and those watching on their TV sets.

Read: Toss delayed due to rain, no play in first session

15:20 (IST)

In another part of England, young Shafali Verma has got her Test career off to a memorable start but fell anxiously short of a milestone as she fell four runs short of a century on debut. Verma, who has made the opener's slot her own with her fearless approach at the crease, has since said this knock will give her a lot of confidence going ahead.

Read: 'I will make it up to them', says Shafali Verma after missing hundred on Test debut

15:10 (IST)

Do you know where the WTC final was originally supposed to have been held? Just how many points did India accumulate in total in the two-year cycle? And which individual finished with the most wickets?

Take our WTC quiz to find out how much you know about the inaugural World Test Championship

15:00 (IST)

Meanwhile later in the day, we have another men's Test kicking off in a different part of the world, with hosts West Indies hoping to stave off a 0-2 series scoreline against South Africa, who were clinical across departments in their innings victory in the first Test at St Lucia. The hosts, led by Kraigg Brathwaite, have recalled seniors Darren Bravo and Shannon Gabriel hoping for an improvement in their fortunes.

Click here for the full West Indies squad for the second Test against South Africa

14:50 (IST)

Meanwhile, New Zealand wicketkeeper batsman BJ Watling has already indicated that the WTC Final will be his final appearance in the sport. Watling, one of the finest keeper-batsmen the nation has ever produced, had earlier described his cricketing career — which began 12 years ago against Pakistan in Dubai — as "one hell of a journey"

Read: BJ Watling hoping his 'one hell of a journey' ends with WTC high

14:39 (IST)

Nasser Hussain (from Southampton speaking to Star Sports): The forecast is not great. It looks like it is going to rain all morning and in afternoon. It is miserable out there. It is a shame because in last 3 weeks, it has been shiny and as cricket begins, it has started pouring down. 

14:38 (IST)

Not to forget, another Test match is on in Bristol where India women are taking on England women.

After a solid start, thanks to an impressive 96 on debut by Shafali Verma, India find themselves in a tough situation, trailing by 209 runs in the first innings. 

Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma will resume the innings at 187/5. 

Click here to follow our blog and live score. 

14:30 (IST)

One can see the visuals of Super Sopper at work, trying to dry the outfield as soon as possible. The first session is already gone and one can only hope that two remaining sessions of cricket are possible on this historic day. Stay tuned for more updates. In the meantime, you came scroll down and read some insightful articles on the WTC final. 

14:21 (IST)

In Virat Kohli-Kane Williamson fire vs ice battle, a lesson for all

It seems like Kohli and Williamson, two of the best batsmen and inspirational leaders of the current generation are destined to fight against each other for as long as they play cricket.

Read more from Ujwal Singh on Kohli-Kane rivalry here.

14:16 (IST)

Bad news! The first session of Day 1 has already been washed out. 

14:02 (IST)

Not a very happy sight for those eagerly waiting for the final to get underway. What's even more worrisome for the two camps is the fact that there is a forecast for rain for the entire week, and not just today, which could end up playing spoilsport to a highly-anticipated showdown.

13:55 (IST)

All the hype surrounding the culmination of a two-year journey with the battle between two quality teams led by two members of the elite batting club that is the 'Fab Four' could very well be dampened if the weather forecast for Southamption is to to be believed, with rain predicted for all five playing days as well as the reserve day of the summit clash at the Ageas Bowl.

Keep in mind the fact that India and New Zealand will share the prize purse of US$ 2.4 million as well as the ICC Test Mace if the match ends in a draw, the chances of which are looking rather high at the moment.

Click here for the weather forecast for Southampton

13:51 (IST)

India, meanwhile, retained faith in their frontline spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja — both of whom back up as handy batsmen down the order in addition to their bowling skills — while opting for the experience of Ishant Sharma at the cost of the high-flying youngster Mohammed Siraj while unveiling their playing XI on the eve of the final.

Read: India pick two spinners, three pacers in playing XI against New Zealand

13:44 (IST)

The Black Caps began their ICC WTC journey right after the 2019 ODI World Cup heartbreak with a drawn series in Sri Lanka, before getting walloped 3-0 by the Aussies in an away series shortly before the coronavirus pandemic brought the cricketing world to a halt for a brief period.

New Zealand, however, have been virtually unstoppable as they vanquished a high-profile Indian side followed by victories over West Indies and Pakistan to become the first team to qualify for the WTC final.

Click here for more details on New Zealand's journey to the summit clash of the inaugural World Test Championship.

13:39 (IST)

From a dominant start in the Caribbean and at home against South Africa and Bangladesh, hitting a hurdle in New Zealand to pulling off a miraculous series win in Australia and capping it off with an impeccable performance against England at home, it has been quite the ride for the Indian cricket team as they reach their fifth final in an ICC event in the last 10 years.

Click here to relive India's road to the ICC World Test Championship final

13:35 (IST)

Batting key to teams' fortunes

With both finalists boasting of power-packed bowling line-ups — New Zealand’s attack decimating the English batting order only a few days ago — the battle for the inaugural World Test Championship title will come down to the side that bats better in the one-off affair at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.


Read Jigar Mehta’s preview of the ICC World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand by clicking here

13:30 (IST)

Hello and welcome to the LIVE coverage of the historic World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand at Southampton's Rose Bowl cricket stadium.

For more than two years, both teams battled hard in various bilateral series and their consistent performances were rewarded with spots in the final.

New Zealand were already in UK playing two Tests against England while India had to overcome quarantine conditions to prepare for the final.

Both teams will aim to gain upper hand on the opening day but weather in Southampton might play a spoilsport.

We will bring you all the updates from the Test. Watch this space for more updates.      

India vs New Zealand WTC Final Day 1 Live Cricket Score Updates: India face New Zealand in the inaugural World Test Championship final on Friday in a match that could have a profound influence on cricket globally.

New Zealand are battle-hardened thanks to a 1-0 series win against England completed on Sunday with a dominant eight-wicket win at Edgbaston after a draw at Lord's.

"Ideal preparation, having two Test matches against England in these conditions," said experienced New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor ahead of the five-day match in Southampton, on England's south coast.

"Couldn't think of anything better."

The Blackcaps, who won in Birmingham despite making six changes, are set to welcome back captain and star batsman Kane Williamson and pace spearhead Tim Southee.

Many cricket fans around the world would be happy to see New Zealand, a country with a population of around five million, compared with India's 1.3 billion, win a major global title after their agonising Super Over loss to England in the 2019 50-over World Cup final at Lord's.

There is also widespread admiration for the way a well-balanced side has made the most of slender resources.

India have not played a competitive game since the end of March and have had to make do with an intra-squad practice match while undergoing quarantine.

But they proved their strength in depth when an injury-hit side recovered from the humiliation of being dismissed for 36 in the first Test in Australia to win a four-match series 2-1 with a sensational chase in Brisbane in January – and that without inspirational captain Virat Kohli.

The gifted batsman is now back in charge of a side that also features Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane as well as spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, with a pace attack led by Jasprit Bumrah.

Rahane said the mental approach would be key to India's success.

"I think what is important in this Test match is playing with freedom, playing fearless cricket as a team and backing each other. That will really help us rather than thinking about the result."

That the World Test Championship final, which comes after two years of series to determine the finalists, is taking place at all is something of a triumph for the International Cricket Council.

It seemed the sheer complexity of a congested global calendar meant the first attempt to crown a global Test champion since the 1912 Triangular Tournament featuring England, Australia and South Africa would not get off the drawing board.

First suggested in 2008, the concept almost foundered because of broadcasters' concerns that India, cricket's economic powerhouse, would fail to make the final, while many countries were far from enthused by the concept.

But the competition did get going eventually, although not helped by an initially complicated points system designed to reflect the varying numbers of Tests played by different nations, partly as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cricket chiefs settled on a method of percentage of points won rather than total points.

The financial ramifications of the match could extend well beyond the $1.6 million on offer to the winners and the $800,000 collected by the runners-up.

When India win an ICC event for the first time it tends to have a transformative effect on cricket as a whole.

India's triumph at the 1983 World Cup changed their attitude to one-day internationals, with those matches becoming the financial motor both of its own cricket and the world game

And the T20 revolution that led to the lucrative Indian Premier League, was ushered in by India's victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in the inaugural 2007 World Twenty20 in South Africa.

At a time when many fear for Test cricket's long-term future, if India become world champions it could be a significant boost for the sport's oldest international format.

With inputs from AFP



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