Nearly Man Kane Williamson

New Zealanders are generally perceived to be nice people. Sometimes too nice for their own comfort. Their national cricket captain Kane Williamson comes across as one such person that sometimes makes you wonder if he should bring out some aggression like others do and express his emotions outwardly.

Williamson, though, is not like any other.

The manner in which the 28-year-old from Tauranga has conducted himself throughout his international career, and especially during the last month-and-a-half on the global stage en route to leading his army of Black Caps to their second successive World Cup final, Williamson has only won more hearts than he had before the start of the quadrennial event.

Never mind if New Zealand finished second best to Eoin Morgan's England on boundary count in a final that is regarded as the most exciting, nerve-wracking, closely-contested World Cup title clash, or for that matter, the best ever ODI from among 4,192 of them.

Indeed, the 12th World Cup final at the Home of Cricket was not for the faint-hearted. Certainly not for those watching the World Cup on telly and also following the Wimbledon final through live streaming on their computers or mobile phones.

If one could not choose a clear winner after 100 overs and the scores are level even at the end of Super Over, New Zealand could not have done any more. They gave it their all, and should be mightily proud of what they have done not only in the final but the whole tournament.

Williamson In CWC 2019

Matches: 10

Innings: 9

Runs: 578

Average: 82.57

Hundreds: 2

Fifties: 2

It will hurt them for a long time to come but even in their moments of disappointment, Williamson put up a brave front to the 100-odd media in the press conference room, wearing a smile constantly to hide his disappointment after the game. No better way to prove how much he is admired than when he was given a thunderous applause and a standing ovation at the end of the press conference.

Williamson is sometimes too nice to be an international cricket. In October 2017, when he led his team to a limited-overs series to India, he was asked if he needed to show more aggression as an international captain than just coming across as a nice guy. He responded with a smile and said: "For me, it is about the people around you rather than yourself. How to get the guys ticking as best as they can be, how can we try and play our best cricket, look at our performances, and then the captaincy and my opinion are shaped around that rather than perhaps being soft or any other nice words.

"Everyone has got a different style, and within our team is a number of leaders that contribute to our leadership and are certainly considered in terms of how we want to approach our cricket."

Williamson has not changed one bit since. Nor will he.

From the video clip on the social media about Williamson expressing surprise with a 'Me?' when told that he is the player of the tournament, it shows another selfless image of him. The ICC has recognised not just Williamson's scores of 578 runs at 82.57 but also the manner in which he has conducted himself and led his team throughout, over and above individual brilliance of Rohit Sharma's tournament high 648 runs including a never-done-before five hundreds, Shakib Al Hasan's allround show of 606 runs and 11 wickets, and Mitchell Starc's 27 wickets, the most in a single World Cup.

On Sunday, as the last question of the press conference, a journalist asked him – standing as a mark of respect for his gentlemanly conduct – if everybody should be a gentleman like him. Williamson, perhaps stumped by the question, broke into a smile and came up with a beauty.

"Everybody are allowed to be themselves. That is a good thing about the world. And everybody should be a little bit different as well. Really difficult question to answer. That is probably my best answer, just be yourself and try and enjoy what you do," he said, before standing up and walking away to a loud applause.

While half the cricketing world felt for New Zealand and hit out at ICC for the boundary rule that robbed the Kiwis of a World Cup – the other half are thrilled that England won – Williamson accepted the rule as it was and took the defeat in his stride. He knew, and his rival captain Morgan knew, about the rules that were set well before the World Cup and the captains and the teams are apprised of the same.

Williamson joins fellow New Zealand great Brendon McCullum as having finished second best in a World Cup final. Another legend, the late Martin Crowe gave his best in the 1992 World Cup when he led from the front throughout that edition before bowing out to Pakistan in the semifinal.

When New Zealand entered their maiden final in 2015, there was not a happier Kiwi than Crowe, who was then battling cancer and was inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame during the tournament and who has been a mentor to the likes of Ross Taylor, Martin Guptill and Williamson among others.

Certainly, Crowe would be smiling on Williamson and his team from up above on the way they have played yet another World Cup in the true spirit, shedding a tear at not being able to lift the Cup, while blessing them for a better result the next time.

One cannot but also feel for Guptill. Outstanding on the field and who comes up with stunning catches, brilliant saves and pinpoint accurate throws, Guptill has had an otherwise forgettable World Cup with the bat.

Call it irony or whatever, Guptill it was who took NZ into the final with a direct hit of MS Dhoni in the semifinal. And, it was off Guptill's throw from the deep at 49.4 that resulted in 4 overthrows deflected off Ben Stokes, though purely unintentional by the Englishman.

Guptill had one final chance to emerge a hero in the Super Over but was the unfortunate one to be run out off the last ball, and left inconsolable.

In all these tense moments, Williamson kept his calm with his head held high, and also told his troops to maintain the same way.

It is for admirable characters like Williamson that cricket continues to be called the Gentleman's Game.

May his tribe only increase.