New Zealand pacer Neil Wagner opened up about the reception that his team got after arriving back home. New Zealand defeated India in the World Test Championship Final by eight wickets to lift their first ICC title in over two decades.
Stephen Fleming’s team won the Champions Trophy back in 2000, which was their first ICC tournament win.
Wagner revealed how they were stopped at the airport by Police officers and were asked to get clicked with the Test mace – Michael Mason. The custom officials grabbed the passport of New Zealand players and insisted to have a glimpse of the mace.
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“I don’t think I have ever walked into customs and got greeted the way we did. Everyone was like straightaway: ‘Congratulations!’ Pretty happy, [they] grabbed our passports and all they wanted to ask was ‘Where’s the mace? Where’s the mace?’ Obviously, when they saw it, the smiles on their faces and what it brought to them, it sort of hit home pretty hard What it meant to people back home and obviously getting across the line, winning a Test Championship final, and bringing that trophy back like that,” Wagner told ESPNcricinfo.
“I remember watching as a kid a lot of other teams lifting that [mace] up after finishing a Test cycle being No.1 in the world and what it meant to them. So, to be able to win it in a one-off Test match like that is a pretty special feeling and we could see what it meant to other people once you got home.”
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Wagner further revealed he has no intentions of retiring from international cricket at this moment.
“Seeing even police officers stopping and wanting to have a photo from a distance with it. Like I said, it’s a pity that it’s Covid times and you can’t hug around these guys and pose for a photo and you know, obviously, give something back to them, too, but it was nice to see the smile on everyone’s faces and how jubilant they were to receive us and getting on the bus. There were cameras outside and people waving and yeah obviously just being very happy about what we were able to achieve. I think it definitely hit the boys hard what it has meant to everyone and around,” the 35-year-old added.
