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India’s rather unimpressive performance in the third Test at Gabba has put a serious dent in their hopes of qualifying for a third consecutive World Test Championship (WTC) final. But guess what? Their unexpected savior could come from none other than their arch-rivals—Pakistan!
Before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy began, India needed a solid 4-1 win over Australia to lock in their spot in the WTC final without depending on any other results. But thanks to a draw at Brisbane, things are looking shaky, and now they’ll need to win the final two Tests just to stay alive in the race.
If India wins both, their points percentage (PCT) would rise to 60.52, enough to leapfrog Australia, even if Australia wins their upcoming series against Sri Lanka. But beating the Aussies at home isn’t exactly a walk in the park, and this could leave India hoping for a miracle from elsewhere.
If the Border-Gavaskar series ends in a 2-2 draw, India’s hopes will rest on others. Specifically, Sri Lanka would need to defeat Australia 1-0, which would drop Australia’s PCT to 53.5, allowing India to sneak through with their 55.26 PCT. But since Australia is pretty much unbeatable at home, this seems more like a dream than reality.
Now, here’s where the plot thickens—Pakistan might just be the unexpected hero India didn’t know they needed! If Pakistan sweeps South Africa 2-0 in their upcoming Test series, India could still make it to the WTC final. With a 2-0 win, Pakistan would drop South Africa’s PCT to 52.57, while India’s 55.25 PCT would give them the edge over Australia, securing a spot in the final alongside them. Talk about a twist!
As it stands, South Africa leads the WTC standings with a PCT of 63.33, followed by Australia (58.89) and India (55.89). The race for the final spots is still wide open, with results from the remaining Tests—and a little help from their "friendly" rivals—deciding the fate of the teams.
So, India’s chances of making it to the final now depend on not only their own performance but also a bit of good luck from Sri Lanka and, surprisingly, Pakistan. Will the unlikely alliance between India and Pakistan (in cricket, at least) work out? Only time will tell. The WTC final race is about to get even more thrilling!
Before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy began, India needed a solid 4-1 win over Australia to lock in their spot in the WTC final without depending on any other results. But thanks to a draw at Brisbane, things are looking shaky, and now they’ll need to win the final two Tests just to stay alive in the race.
If India wins both, their points percentage (PCT) would rise to 60.52, enough to leapfrog Australia, even if Australia wins their upcoming series against Sri Lanka. But beating the Aussies at home isn’t exactly a walk in the park, and this could leave India hoping for a miracle from elsewhere.
If the Border-Gavaskar series ends in a 2-2 draw, India’s hopes will rest on others. Specifically, Sri Lanka would need to defeat Australia 1-0, which would drop Australia’s PCT to 53.5, allowing India to sneak through with their 55.26 PCT. But since Australia is pretty much unbeatable at home, this seems more like a dream than reality.
Now, here’s where the plot thickens—Pakistan might just be the unexpected hero India didn’t know they needed! If Pakistan sweeps South Africa 2-0 in their upcoming Test series, India could still make it to the WTC final. With a 2-0 win, Pakistan would drop South Africa’s PCT to 52.57, while India’s 55.25 PCT would give them the edge over Australia, securing a spot in the final alongside them. Talk about a twist!
As it stands, South Africa leads the WTC standings with a PCT of 63.33, followed by Australia (58.89) and India (55.89). The race for the final spots is still wide open, with results from the remaining Tests—and a little help from their "friendly" rivals—deciding the fate of the teams.
So, India’s chances of making it to the final now depend on not only their own performance but also a bit of good luck from Sri Lanka and, surprisingly, Pakistan. Will the unlikely alliance between India and Pakistan (in cricket, at least) work out? Only time will tell. The WTC final race is about to get even more thrilling!
