India Must Win Fourth Test in Ahmedabad to Qualify for WTC Final | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: Humiliated Indorea clear victory in Ahmedabad will seal India’s place in the Trial World Championship final vs Australia but if Rohit Sharma’s side lose or draw, their fate will depend on the outcome of the Sri Lanka-New Zealand series. Australia by virtue of the nine-wicket victory in Indore has already qualified for the grand final at the Oval from 7 to 11 June. Australia is sitting on top of the wtc table with 68.52 percentage points (PCT extension).
Australia is IN! They will face either India or Sri Lanka in the WTC Final in early June at The Oval in London… https://t.co/faVqiUJwY3
Percentage points are calculated by dividing the points earned by a team by the points contested. A team earns 12 points for a win, four for a draw and six for a draw. To date, Australia have 148 points from 11 wins and four draws from 18 games. Playing for 216 points on offer, they have a PCT of 68.52. Even if Australia loses the fourth and final Test against India, they would still lead with 64.91 pct (148/228×100).
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Australia beats India in the third round to qualify for the WTC final
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Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne held their nerve on a fiercely spinning Indore pitch to guide Australia to victory by nine wickets.
The test win in Indore is only Australia’s second test win in India since 2004.
After Australia were defeated in the first two tests in three days, the series is now 2-1 against the hosts with one game to go.
Labuschagne finished on 28 not out and Head on 49, having lost opener Usman Khawaja on only his second ball of the day.
The stubborn victory secured Australia a place in the ICC World Test Championship final in June at The Oval.
India will secure a place in the final if they win the fourth test in Ahmedabad.
In a frantic low-scoring match Australia beat India for 109 on the first day with spinner Matthew Kuhnemann taking five wickets.
In reply Australia started well before collapsing to 197 before lunch on the second day, with the last six wickets collapsing for just 11 runs.
Eight wickets for spinner Nathan Lyon saw India stand for 163 in the second innings, setting up a winning target of 76.
Chasing 76, Australia lost Usman Khawaja early. Khawaja beat R Ashwin against goalkeeper Srikar Bharat by a duck.
After 45 minutes, Labuschagne and Head switched gears. Head bowled Ashwin for a six over mid-on and next drilled Ravindra Jadeja to ground for a four as the chains came loose.
Labuschagne also got into action, hitting Jadeja for a four and parrying a short delivery from Ashwin on a half-volley for another four to bring a rare Australia victory in India within sight.
What happens to India India’s PCT is 60.29 after making 123 runs in 17 tests so far (W10 D2). India lost a few points this cycle as the rate slowed. If India wins the last test, its PCT will rise to 62.5 with 135 points from a maximum of 216 on offer (18 tests). They will therefore keep their second position and qualify for the final.
Australia wins Third Test by 9 wickets. #TeamIndia 🇮🇳 will aim to recover in the fourth and final #INDvAUS… https://t.co/1IdvikYwVA
However, if they lose, India’s PCT will drop to 56.94 and hence they will have to depend on the outcome of Sri Lanka’s away series against New Zeland. In case of a tie, India’s PCT will drop to 58.79 and even then they will have to wait for the outcome of the Sri Lanka-New Zealand series. Ditto in case of a tie where India’s PCT will be 59.72.
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Test 3: How Nathan Lyon ripped the heart out of the Indian batting lineup
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Not for the first time, Nathan Lyon ripped the heart out of the Indian batting lineup to earn his second-best Test result.
Lyon took 8/64 in India’s second innings to turn the match on Day 2.
The tumultuous Test match fell on Lyon’s fingers to save Australia.
Lyon found the perfect pitch length, bowled forward lines and bagged the wicket if one turned slightly or went with the arm.
The perfect example of day two of the Indore Test was the dismissal of Indian wicketkeeper KS Bharat.
The ball went through the batter’s defenses causing him to play the wrong line as he thought about a possible turn.
Lyon pounced on stumps, again relentlessly, for most of their spell, and let useful shots like the one at Holkar Stadium do the rest.
Lyon bowling perfectly reflects the fact that it doesn’t quite fit the “flashy genius” mold of some of Australia’s past spinning greats.
Lyons found an old and able ally in Smith as a proactive captain who kept things interesting with tight camps and men in catching positions to slowly strangle India.
Lyon’s exploits on the subcontinent speak for themselves and, in essence, the star player is a matter of tenacity.
How can Sri Lanka qualify Sri Lanka’s only chance at final qualification hinges on a 2-0 win in New Zealand, one of the toughest away games for sub-continental sides. Sri Lanka’s current PCT is 53.33 with 64 points out of a possible 120 (10 Tests). If India lose, draw or tie the final test and Sri Lanka win the series 2-0, their PCT will be 61.11 with 88 points out of a possible 144 points at stake. But if Sri Lanka draw even one match and win 1-0, their maximum PCT will be 55.55, which will be lower than what India will have (56.94) even if they lose the final round.
