The Day 5 of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and New Zealand started one hour late from the original time. However, when the proceedings began, Indian bowlers were completely on top of their game, forcing New Zealand batters to run for their money.
The pair of Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor had to work really hard to score every run. They resumed their Day 3 score of 101 but could only add 16 runs to the total before Indian speedster Mohammed Shami provided the breakthrough following his exceptional spell.
Shami dismissed Taylor for 11 runs by getting him caught at short cover. Indian youngster Shubman Gill, who was stationed in that position, dived to his right and plucked an absolute blinder. Shami bowled a bit fuller delivery asking Taylor to drive. The batsman did exactly what the bowler wanted, and then Gill did the rest. He went for a stunning full-length dive to remove the veteran New Zealander.
Watch the clip here:
This lad Gill, is just excellent.
What a grab. pic.twitter.com/I8qH6tAlWq— Stone Cold (@StoneCo06301258) June 22, 2021
Post Taylors’ wicket, Indian bowlers continued their tight line and length, which paid off in good rewards. After Shami, senior lad Ishant Sharma joined the party, dismissing Henry Nicholls in the 70th over of New Zealand’s first innings.
Ishant came round the wicket and bowled an angled delivery forcing Nicholls to play it. The ball carried a thick outside edge with Rohit Sharma at second slip dived in front of Cheteshwar Puajara at first slip, to take a brilliant catch.
In the very next over, India got another major breakthrough as Shami bowled a ripper to get the prized scalp of Kiwi wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling. The right-armer bowled an absolute jaffa which shattered the gates of Watling and shattered his stumps. New Zealand has scored 135/5 in 72 overs after the launch was announced by the officials.
