WTC Final 2021: R Ashwin becomes leading wicket-taker in World Test Championship

India suffered yet another heartbreak in an ICC event as they lost the World Test Championship Final to New Zealand in Southampton on Wednesday. The Men in Blue have not won a single ICC event in the last eight years with their last win coming in the 20123 Champions Trophy. On the other hand, this was WTC Final winners New Zealand's first ICC title win since 2000.

WTC Final winner: R Ashwin ends up as leading wicket-taker in the championship

India might have lost the game but off-spinner R Ashwin has a reason to cherish on a personal level. The Tamil Nadu-based cricketer ended up as the leading wicket-taker in the WTC with 71 scalps to his name in 14 matches at a stunning average of 20.33 and an economy rate of 2.62. He also bagged four five-wicket during the championship.

Ashwin needed two wickets to overtake Pat Cummins' tally of 69 and he did so on the final day of the WTC Final by picking up the only two New Zealand wickets that fell - Tom Latham and Devon Conway. Ashwin (71) is followed by Cummins (70), Stuart Broad (69), Time Southe and Nathan Lyon (both 56 each). The next Indian to feature in the WTC most wickets list is Mohammed Shami who grabbed 40 wickets.

Notably, R Ashwin also bagged WTC Final most wickets for India. The World No. 2 Test bowler picked two wickets each in both innings. Remarkably, Ashwin bowled beautifully on a wicket that majorly aided fast bowlers. 

As far as the WTC most runs list is concerned, it is Australia's Marnus Labuschagne who takes the first spot. Marnus Labuschagne scored 1675 runs in just 13 games at an astonishing average of 72.82 with five centuries and nine fifties. India's leading run-scorer in WTC is Ajinkya Rahane with 1159 runs followed by Rohit Sharma with 1094 runs.

India vs New Zealand winner: Kiwis continue their dominance against India in ICC events

India were bundled out for just 170 runs in their second innings courtesy of a disciplined bowling performance from the Kiwis as it meant that they only had to chase down a target of 139. It was a sorry-looking scorecard for India as they lost the key wickets of skipper Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane in the first session itself. Only wicket-keeping batsman Rishabh Pant played attacking cricket as he scored a vital 41 before being dismissed while trying to up the scoring rate.

Coming back to New Zealand's run chase, they seemed to be on the back foot after losing openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway quickly but captain Kane Williamson and veteran Ross Taylor soldiered on for the BlackCaps. The duo registered an unbeaten 96-run stand as New Zealand registered an emphatic win by eight wickets to become the first-ever World Test champions. Kane Williamson remained unbeaten on 52 while Ross Taylor was not out on 47.

IMAGE SOURCE: ICC-CRICKET.COM