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Pakistan will face South Africa in a two-match Test series that starts on Thursday (December 26), and if Shan Masood & Co. win the away series with a scoreline of 2-0, then even one win in the next two Tests against Australia will confirm India’s…Read More
How Pakistan can help India qualify for WTC final. (Picture Credit: AFP, AP)
The Indian men’s cricket team, which is preparing to take on Australia in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from Thursday, is still alive in the race to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final, which is scheduled to take place at Lord’s in June next year. The Indian team, which currently sits at No. 3 position in the WTC 2023-25 points table, will play two more matches, and if Rohit Sharma’s men manage to secure a win in both of them, then they are guaranteed to finish in the top two of the WTC 2023-25 points table and play in the WTC final for the third season in a row.
Two wins in the remaining two matches of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy will take India’s PCT% to 60.53, which Australia can’t match even if they whitewash Sri Lanka in a two-match series next year.
South Africa sits at the No. 1 position in the WTC points table at the moment with a 63.33 PCT%. The Proteas are leading the race to qualify for the WTC 2025 final next year. But if Temba Bavuma’s men suffer a 0-2 defeat in the upcoming two-match Test series against Pakistan, then their chances of playing in the final at Lord’s next year will take a massive hit.
If Pakistan managed to seal a famous series win in South Africa with a scoreline of 2-0, then South Africa will finish the WTC 2023-25 cycle with a maximum of 52.78 PCT%.
Pakistan’s 2-0 win over South Africa will boost India’s chances of qualifying for the WTC 2025 final, as in that case, one win in the remaining two Tests against Australia will also help India finish above South Africa in the WTC 2023-25 points table and qualify for the WTC 2025 final.
One win and one defeat in the last two Tests against Australia will take India’s PCT% to 55.26.
India and Australia will set up a rematch of the 2023 WTC final at Lord’s next year if India wins at least one more Test against Pat Cummins-led side, Pakistan whitewashes South Africa, and Australia beats Sri Lanka 2-0. In that condition, India will finish the WTC 2023-25 cycle with at least 55.26 PCT%, South Africa can’t finish with more than 52.78 PCT%, and Australia with not less than 57.01 PCT%.
