[1] New Zealand won the match by eight wickets to be crowned as the winners of the inaugural ICC World Test Championship.

[9] India's captain, Virat Kohli, acknowledged that New Zealand were the better team, but also called for a best-of-three series to decide future World Test Championships.

[10] New Zealand's Kyle Jamieson was named as the man of the match, after taking seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings.

[11] India and New Zealand qualified for the final as the top two teams in the league stage of the 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple series being postponed, the league standings were determined by percentage of points earned.

[12][13] On 2 February 2021, Australia postponed their away series against South Africa, resulting in a guaranteed berth in the final for New Zealand.

[19] On 8 June 2021, the ICC appointed the match officials for the final, with Michael Gough and Richard Illingworth named as the on-field umpires.

The rain stopped in the afternoon, but it had caused the outfield to become waterlogged and the umpires decided to cancel the day's play at 3pm BST.

Captain Kane Williamson said that his decision was due to the cool weather, although he said that he expected a consistent wicket throughout the game.

Despite favourable conditions New Zealand's fast bowlers Tim Southee and Trent Boult were unable to bowl consistently.

[41] Kyle Jamieson started bowling before lunch and took the first wicket of the match, Rohit Sharma edging a ball to third slip where it was caught by Southee.

[42] Gill then fell too, caught off the bowling of Neil Wagner, to leave India at 69 for two at lunch, with Cheteshwar Pujara and Indian captain Virat Kohli the two batsmen.

There were several interruptions for bad light during the afternoon session, first forcing an early tea, and then eventually ending the day's play after only 64.4 overs with India on 146.

Boult dismissed Jadeja for 15 in the first ball of the next over, leaving India all out for 217, a score which Aldred considered "slightly short of par".

India eventually dismissed Conway shortly before the close of play, the batsman making an error in hitting a ball straight to the mid-on fielder off the bowling of fast bowler Ishant Sharma.

Shami and Ishant Sharma then struck, taking the wickets of Taylor, BJ Watling, and Henry Nicholls in the morning session and leaving New Zealand with a score of 135 for five at lunch.

[54] Williamson and new batsman Colin de Grandhomme worked to stabilise the New Zealand innings after lunch, advancing the score to 152 runs by the 80th over when India took the new ball.

Shami got the first breakthrough of the afternoon session by dismissing De Grandhomme for 13 runs, lbw off a good length delivery.

Captain Williamson fell just short of a fifty, scoring 49 runs before being caught at second slip by Kohli off the bowling of Sharma.

India started the day on their overnight score of 64 for the loss of two wickets, with captain Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara at the crease.

[59][53][60] The Guardian's Adam Collins noted that New Zealand had appeared to be heading for an easy victory, but the second wicket prompted him to write "game very much on" in his commentary.