NZ vs SL: EXPLAINED! How Sri Lanka can play spoilsport to India's WTC final chances
Follow Us
Story highlights
WTC final: After Australia have qualified, India are very much certain to meet them in the summit clash but remain in danger of a Sri Lanka heist. Here's how the Islanders can eliminate India from the race -
On March 03, Australia defeated India in the morning session of Day 3 of the third and penultimate Test, in Indore, in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2022/23 to keep the series alive. With this win, Pat Cummins-led Aussies have qualified for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, which will be held in early June at The Oval, London.
Talking about the Indore Test, nothing clicked for Rohit Sharma-led India. Opting to bat first, they only managed a paltry 109 (with Matthew Kuhnemann taking 5 for 16) before Australia was dismissed for 197, taking a vital 88-run lead in a low-scoring match. In their second essay, India fell flat once again -- with Player-of-the-Match Nathan Lyon ending with 8 for 64 (match figures of 11 for 99) -- and gave a 76-run target. Eventually, Travis Head's 49* and Marnus Labuschagne's 28 not out led Steve Smith & Co. to a nine-wicket win despite regular captain Cummins' absence.
At the post-match presentation, Smith said, "I really enjoyed it and like captaining in this part of the world as I understand the conditions really well. There's an event every ball and a lot different to the other parts of the world, and I did a reasonable job this week. Much the same, we will wait and see what the conditions are like (in Ahmedabad), but we are really proud to clinch a spot in the WTC final. Hopefully, we can put a similar performance and draw the series."
Despite their WTC final qualification, Cummins-less Australia will be eager to not rest on their recent laurels and go for a 2-2 series-levelling win over Rohit's Team India. For India, the home side have an unassailable 2-1 lead going into the fourth and final Test -- to kick off on Thursday (March 09) in Ahmedabad -- but will surely aim for a famous home series win and qualify for the WTC final. At present, India are favourites to meet their arch-rivals Australia in the summit clash, in June, but Dimuth Karunaratne-led Sri Lanka also remain in the race and can dent Rohit & Co.'s chances. Here's how:
How can Sri Lanka topple India and reach WTC final?
Australia are set to face either India or Sri Lanka in the final of the second cycle of the WTC. Fourth-placed South Africa are very much out of contention even though they are likely to whitewash West Indies in the ongoing two-match Test series at home. For SL, India remaintheir biggest threat.
Karunaratne & Co. are set to lock horns with Tim Southee's New Zealand in a two-match Test series, which kicks off in New Zealand on March 09 at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch. They first need to hope India lose the Ahmedabad Test and then will have towintheir remaining two games. But if they lose or draw one game, they will stand eliminated.
Meanwhile, India also need to win the Ahmedabad Test to end Sri Lanka's hopes. However, if they fail, they will depend on the inaugural edition's winners New Zealand to prevent the Sri Lankans from pulling off a stunning 2-0 whitewash.
Also read:
Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at 7:12 am