WTC Final: An extravagant event that was supposed to mark the crowning of world champions in Test cricket, started off on a damp note. The rain Gods played spoilsport to compel the authorities to call off Day 1’s play. Even before the toss could happen, the downpour was exceptionally hefty and by the time rain alleviated, the outfield had taken a massive battering to conduct any more game time for the remaining day.
However, the fans will still have an entire 5-day play ahead of them with the reserve day coming into the picture that was allotted by ICC to decide a winner from the final.
Questions were already raised when the WTC final was allotted to England and that too in the middle of a pouring monsoon. However, it was believed that even if rain played spoilsport, there will still be ample time to make it a full-blown blockbuster.
Though the latter half of the previous statement is actually true, given the weight of the two teams who are going to duke it out, there are further forecasts of rain to emerge in the remaining days as well.
Given the inclement weather conditions, the surface will play a key role in determining the upshot of the finale. These are challenging circumstances for both the teams and the Blackcaps will have an added advantage given the availability of extraordinary swing bowlers who already had a significant impact in the bilateral affair against England.
It will be a herculean task for the batters to adjust themselves to such glacial conditions with the ball promising avid swing on either side. It can boil down to the best of the sport to shape up a concrete display in the middle of such a dampened outfield.
Twitter was left livid at the fact that they had to return empty-handed after an enduring build-up to this coveted encounter between India and New Zealand to determine the crown in red-ball cricket.
This should be done on the final day of wtc if rain doesn’t stops here in Southampton #WTC2021 #INDvNZ #WorldTestChampionship pic.twitter.com/LDKkoNPGp6
— sasta sarcasm (@officeoffirkey) June 18, 2021
*WTC Final exists*
Everyone to rain : pic.twitter.com/nouCaT1uoX
— An Idiot Tale (@tale_idiot) June 18, 2021
The opening session on Day 1 of the WTC final has been washed out due to rain
Le ICC to God : pic.twitter.com/WNP46r64qP
— Rahul ? (@tatyabichumemer) June 18, 2021
Scenes in Southampton considering 🌧️. Rain #INDvsNZ #WTCFinal2021 #Southampton #WTCFinal #WTC21 #FridayThoughts #fridaymorning pic.twitter.com/GGAaHXcmLe
— वि शा ल (@_iamvish) June 18, 2021
Raining in Southampton. Why @ICC conducted Finals in England in this time?? Rain always washes out best matches 🙁 Let’s pray ? #INDvNZ #WTC21 #WTCFinal #IndiaVsNewZealand #WTC2021 #WorldTestChampionship #ViratKohli #KaneWilliamson #WTCFinal2021 pic.twitter.com/pwUqPG3lwt
— Abhinash ??? (@im_abhinash) June 18, 2021
#INDvNZ #WTC21 #SouthamptonWeather
People are eagerly waiting for #WTCFinal to kick off from today.
Meanwhile rain at Southampton pic.twitter.com/tDrZFb2XDD
— Aamir.Sid05?? (@Aamir_Sid05) June 18, 2021
Rain has started again in Southampton. #INDvsNZ #WTCFinal #WTC2021 pic.twitter.com/GmRdlRMm3j
— CricketSpyOfficial (@thecricketspy) June 18, 2021
#WTCFinal2021 #INDvsNZ
*Cricket fans excited for WTC Final*Meanwhile Rain – pic.twitter.com/nxDJXBruNI
— Shivam (@iamshiv144) June 18, 2021
This was OP ???#WTCFinal2021 #WTC2021final #WTCFinal #WorldTestChampionship #ICCWTCFinal #INDvsNZ #rain pic.twitter.com/zm5J8wG5u0
— ?????????²⁴ ?? (@imSudcsk_24) June 18, 2021
Live From Southampton??#WTC21#WTCFinal2021 #WTCFinal#rain #WorldTestChampionship pic.twitter.com/Uc6Xf3sBxr
— India Our Home (@IndiaOurHome1) June 18, 2021
