WTC Final / Shami stopped New Zealand from a big lead, will win in reserve day or will the match be a draw?

New Delhi. Indian bowlers bundled out New Zealand's first innings for 249 runs on the fifth day of the World Test Championship final (WTC Final) on Tuesday. Pacer Mohammed Shami performed brilliantly, taking 4 for 76, while Kiwi team captain Kane Williamson played a very restrained innings of 49 runs. New Zealand took a modest lead of 32 runs on the basis of the first innings but Team India scored 64 runs for the loss of 2 wickets in the second innings at the end of the day's play and took a lead of 32 runs. At the time of stumps, captain Virat Kohli was at the crease with 8 and Cheteshwar Pujara scoring 12 runs.

Before the end of the day's play, Kiwi pacer Tim Southee sent both India's openers to the pavilion. Young Shubman Gill could not do much in the second innings as well and was dismissed lbw after scoring 8 runs off 33 balls. After this he also showed Rohit Sharma the way to the pavilion. Rohit faced 81 balls and scored 80 runs with the help of 2 fours. Now the match will also be played on Reserve Day i.e. Wednesday.

In this rain-interrupted match, two days were completely washed away, due to which now the game will be played on Reserve Day i.e. on the sixth day. On the fifth day, New Zealand started playing ahead of 101 runs for 2 wickets. Captain Williamson, who came to bat at number three, remained at one end and he slowly progressed his innings. He scored 49 runs for which he faced 177 balls and hit 6 fours in his innings.

Tim Southee scored 30 runs in 46 balls. He hit one four and two sixes in his innings and entertained the fans. Kyle Jameson also contributed 21 runs. Kiwi team's opener Devon Conway played an innings of 54 runs, which was the highest run-scorer for his team. Shami bowled 26 overs and his economy rate was 2.92. Apart from Shami, experienced pacer Ishant Sharma took 3 wickets for 48 runs. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin got two and Ravindra Jadeja got one wicket.

The first session started late due to rain with 23 overs in which New Zealand scored only 34 runs but lost three wickets. In the second session, he showed more speed and added 114 runs in 27.2 overs and lost the remaining five wickets. Williamson showed respect to the bowlers and added only seven runs to his score in the first session. He gave New Zealand the lead by hitting a four on Shami, but Ishant's outgoing ball was caught by Virat at second slip in an attempt to play at third man.

Shami gave India the first breakthrough of the day. He tempted Ross Taylor (11) to drive off a full length delivery and Shubman Gill dived at short cover to take a fine catch. Ishant then forced the dependable Henry Nicholls (7) to be caught at second slip. BJ Watling (I), playing his last Test match, was bowled by Shami. Shami kept the pressure from one end even after lunch. He also sent Kyle Jameson (21) to the pavilion with an aggressive approach after dismissing Colin de Grandhomme (13) lbw.

Jamieson tried to send the next short pitch ball across the boundary after hitting a six off the first ball but Bumrah took the catch beautifully at long leg. Apart from Jameson in the tail, Southee added useful runs. After Williamson was dismissed, he hit a six at long on in the next over of Ishant. He also sent Jadeja's ball for six runs but the same spinner bowled him to end the Kiwi innings. Indian pacer Bumrah (57 runs in 26 overs, no wickets) was disappointed, who bowled extremely short pitches and too many outside off-stumps.