Virat Kohli wins hearts despite loss courtesy special BJ Watling moment: WATCH
Indian captain Virat Kohli won fans over by his heartening gesture for New Zealand stumper BJ Watling who was playing the last game of his international career.
- SportFit
- 2 min read
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New Zealand defeated India by eight wickets in the World Test Championship Final in Southampton on Wednesday. Courtesy of the dominating win, the Kiwis were crowned maiden World Test champions. Notably, this is WTC Final winner New Zealand's first ICC title since 2000.
WTC Final winner: Virat Kohli performs sweet gesture for retiring BJ Watling
While the India vs New Zealand final was played with great intensity, the cricketing community also got to witness a great display of sportsmanship. Indian captain Virat Kohli won fans over by his heartening gesture for New Zealand stumper BJ Watling who was playing the final game of his international career. When the Indian skipper came out to bat on the final day of the India vs New Zealand final, he walked up to BJ Watling and shook his hands to congratulate him on a great career.
Virat Kohli 🤝 BJ Watling
— ICC (@ICC) June 23, 2021
A nice gesture from the Indian skipper congratulating the @BLACKCAPS wicket-keeper on the final day of his international career 🙌#WTC21 Final | #INDvNZ | #SpiritOfCricket pic.twitter.com/zcI47UFPAp
Watling has been one of New Zealand’s finest wicket-keeper batsman. The BJ Watling retirement news was announced by the cricketer himself ahead of New Zealand's two-match Test series against England. According to the BJ Watling retirement news, Watling had said that it was the right time and it has been a huge honour to represent New Zealand and in particular wear the Test baggy. He further added that Test cricket really is the pinnacle of the game and he has loved every minute of being out there in the whites with the boys. Watling continued by saying that he has played with some great players and made many good mates and he also had plenty of help along the way, for which he will always be grateful.
BJ Watling stats
The BJ Watling stats in Tests include the 75 matches he has played for New Zealand and is their most-capped Test wicketkeeper. He has scored 3790 Test runs at a decent average of 37.5 with eight centuries and 19 fifties. The BJ Watling Test record list continues with the wicketkeeper-batsman having 275 dismissals (267 catches 8 stumpings) to his name, which are the most by any Zealand stumper. He has also played 28 ODIs where he has scored 573 runs at an average of 24.9 with five fifties. Watling also had five T20I appearances to his name.