Shami Seizes The Day

But Openers Fall To Peg India Back Ahead Of Reserve Day

- Partha Bhaduri

It’s finally game on in Southampton,but India may be on the back foot. The team’s tirelessly accurate pace lengths, highlighted by a Mohammed Shami masterclass in attacking seam bowling, and Kiwi captain Kane Williamson’s obdurate stonewalling in difficult batting conditions marked a captivating full fifth day of play in the WTC Final.

But as play ended, there was tension and anticipation in the air, missed too often in this severely rain-affected Test, as first New Zealand eked out a 32-run first-innings lead and then India inched ahead by the same margin.

But Kohli's men lost two crucial wickets in the bargain, with Tim Southee’s devious ‘three-quarter’ scrambled seam first getting rid of Shubman Gill, and then Rohit Sharma offering no stroke to an incoming one at an inopportune time.

WTC FINAL

As the Test inched into the crucial reserve day, India were 64/2 in their second innings, with the fear of a collapse seemingly never far away in these conditions. Amid a sea of impressive cameos on either side, Shami seized the day, coming up with his second four-wicket haul (4/77) at this venue and the first four-wicket haul by an Indian bowler in an ICC tournament final.