New Zealand Dominates West Indies to Secure Second Place in ICC World Test Championship

New Zealand's Impressive Victory

New Delhi: New Zealand has ascended to the second position in the ICC World Test Championship standings following a commanding 323-run victory over the West Indies in the final Test held at Mount Maunganui.

This decisive win propelled New Zealand past South Africa, leaving only Australia ahead of them in the rankings.

Looking ahead, New Zealand will face England in a three-match World Test Championship series set for mid-next year.

On the other hand, the West Indies remain at the ninth spot and will be back in action at home next year against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

The Black Caps clinched the match in the latter part of the final session at Bay Oval, with left-arm seamer Jacob Duffy taking the last wicket to conclude the game. Duffy's performance throughout the series earned him the Player of the Series title.

In the West Indies' second innings, Duffy excelled with figures of 5/42, helping to dismiss the visitors for 138 while they chased a challenging target of 462. He concluded the series with an impressive total of 23 wickets, playing a pivotal role in New Zealand's 2-0 series victory and a robust start to their World Test Championship journey.

Duffy also broke a long-standing national record, surpassing Richard Hadlee's mark for the most wickets taken by a New Zealander in a calendar year. His third five-wicket haul of the series pushed his total beyond Hadlee's previous record of 80.

"I noticed that list (most wickets in a calendar year) during lunch, and it featured some remarkable names, so being included among them is truly special," Duffy expressed.

New Zealand's bowlers were well-supported by a stellar batting performance, particularly from openers Devon Conway and captain Tom Latham. They made history as the first opening pair in Test cricket to each score two centuries in the same match.

Conway's contributions were especially significant, as he scored 227 and 100, making him the first New Zealander and only the tenth player overall to achieve both a double century and a century in a single Test. He was named Player of the Match for his efforts.

"I don't think it has fully sunk in yet. It will take some time for me to process what happened in this Test match. However, I'm really pleased we secured the win," Conway remarked.