India Qualifies for World Test Championship
India is heading to the World Test Championship (WTC) final! After an intense battle for a place in the final, India has qualified to face off against Australia for the biggest global honor in the format. This qualification is an incredible feat for India, and the excitement is palpable!
The final spot filled after New Zealand pulled off one of the most dramatic wins ever, off the last ball of their first Test against Sri Lanka in Christchurch, by two wickets. The tension was high as the race to the final went into Monday, with the results of both Test matches equally relevant.
Conditions in Reaching the WTC
If Sri Lanka had beaten New Zealand, they would have stayed in the race for the championship. That is if India didn’t win in Ahmedabad. Kane Williamson hit an unbeaten 121, Daryl Mitchell scored a quick 86-ball 81, and New Zealand pulled off a win that didn’t look possible for the longest time, off the very last ball of the game. It was pure drama at its best!
Following their loss in Christchurch, even if Sri Lanka wins the next Test, they will only go up to 52.78 points. That will be lower than India’s 56.94 even if India loses in the Ahmedabad Test. If they end in a draw, India will finish on 58.80.
Meanwhile, Australia has already qualified, and even if they lose in Ahmedabad, they will end with a percentage of 64.91.
Australia and India’s Achievements for the WTC
Australia and India are the only teams that have won at least twice as many Tests as they have lost in the current WTC cycle. Australia has been stellar with an 11-3 win-loss record so far, with series wins against England, West Indies, South Africa (home), and Pakistan (away). They also drew in Sri Lanka (1-1), with the only series of defeats coming in India (assuming a draw or a defeat in Ahmedabad).
India has a 10-5 record in this cycle, with series wins against New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Australia (assuming they win or draw in Ahmedabad) at home, and Bangladesh away. They drew 2-2 in England and lost 2-1 in South Africa. But none of that matters now, as they gear up to face off against Australia for the ultimate glory in the Test cricket world.
WTC Details
The World Test Championship (WTC) is a premier international cricket tournament organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It aims to give Test cricket, the longest format of the game, a context and provide a pathway to the ultimate prize in the format.
The ICC World Test Championship for Test cricket is currently in its second edition, spanning from 2021 to 2023. The championship began on Commencing on August 4, 2021.
The finals of the WTC title contest will take place at The Oval in London on June 7, and the anticipation is already building up. Fans of both teams are eagerly waiting to see who will come out on top in what promises to be an epic battle.
