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World Test Championship: 2021-2023

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England still propping this thing up.

Hopefully a win soon.
 
South Africa are looking very good here. They beat India at home and drew with NZ away.

They have a series vs Bangladesh at home which they should win comfortably too. That leaves them with a series in England and Australia and against England, I expect it to be competitive.

Think the ultimate order would be :

1. India/Australia
2. Australia/India
3. South Africa
4. Pakistan

Then rest.
 
South Africa are looking very good here. They beat India at home and drew with NZ away.

They have a series vs Bangladesh at home which they should win comfortably too. That leaves them with a series in England and Australia and against England, I expect it to be competitive.

Think the ultimate order would be :

1. India/Australia
2. Australia/India
3. South Africa
4. Pakistan

Then rest.

Nope ..It looks like Australia vs pakistan at final ..India being placed at no 3..
 
After the 2nd Test between Pakistan and Australia ended in a tense draw

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After the 2nd Test between Pakistan and Australia ended in a tense draw

WTC-DRAW-16-MAR.jpg

These draws arent helping. We have 6 tests left at home and 2 in SL, we need to be winning most of these.
 
After West Indies 10 wicket win against England in the 3rd Test

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Where are the talented English batters?

They really need to find some fixes before next Ashes at home in 2 years time.

Zak Crawley and Dan Lawrence are both very talented batters, and potentially dominant top order players. They are just inconsistent and inexperienced at the moment. Their decision making will (and must) improve.
 
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The latest World Test Championship Standings after South Africa's 220-run win against Bangladesh in the 1st Test

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South Africa have a bit of a chance to make it to final.

They only have one tough assignment and that is Australia. They should win their other tours.
 
South Africa have a bit of a chance to make it to final.

They only have one tough assignment and that is Australia. They should win their other tours.

They also have the England tour. Yes, I know England are incredibly weak right now but at home, they're still a very tough side to beat.. especially with Stokes fit and firing.

Who plays at Lords next summer will be decided by the following series' -

South Africa tour of England (3 Tests)

South Africa tour of Australia (3 Tests)

Australia tour of India (4 Tests)
 
South Africa have a bit of a chance to make it to final.

They only have one tough assignment and that is Australia. They should win their other tours.

The England-SA series will be interesting. It’s actually a winnable one for England — despite everything.
 
As the 2021-22 season of cricket comes to an end, we take a look at how the teams are placed in ICC Men's World Test Championship 2021-2023 and what lies ahead of them.

The 2021-22 season of international Test cricket that began with India's exhilarating tour of England came to an end with South Africa's thumping 2-0 win over Bangladesh at home.

In between, the World Test Championship has witnessed some exciting contests, including West Indies' final-wicket heist against Pakistan in Jamaica, Australia's historic Test win against Pakistan, Bangladesh upsetting New Zealand away from home and many more.

The standings too have started to take shape, with Australia leading the pack with point percentage of 75 while their arch-rivals England linger at the bottom with 12.50%.

Heading into the next season that is set to begin next month with Bangladesh welcoming Sri Lanka for two Tests, let's take a look at how the teams are positioned in WTC23.

As it stands
1st - Australia

75% of possible points - five wins and three draws in eight Test matches
Remaining series: Sri Lanka (away - two Tests), India (away - four Tests), West Indies (home - two Tests), South Africa (home - three Tests)

Australia might have narrowly missed out on making the finals of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship but they look on course to making it this time around.

They made most of the home advantage with a 4-1 Ashes win over England and followed it up with an entertaining 1-0 win over Pakistan in a historic series.

Australia have come out without a loss in two series that would have been considered as challenging when the tours were announced. Of the remaining four series, the tour of India will likely be the most challenging, but the recent performances of Usman Khawaja and others with the bat and the overall class of the bowling attack will give them huge confidence going into the business end of WTC23.


2nd - South Africa

71.42 % of possible points - five wins and two losses in seven Test matches
Remaining series: England (away - three Tests), West Indies (home - two Tests), Australia (away - three Tests)

South Africa have continued to build on the momentum from the comeback series win over India and find themselves second in the WTC23 standings.

They came back from 1-0 down to beat New Zealand in the second Test to draw the series 1-1 away from home before bulldozing Bangladesh in home conditions, with spin playing a major part.

The emergence of Keegan Petersen and Marco Jansen has strengthened both the batting and bowling of the Proteas which already has pillars such as Dean Elgar, Temba Bavuma, and Kagiso Rabada, among others.

If South Africa beat England and West Indies in upcoming series, they could very well be fighting Australia for the top two spots in what is scheduled to be the last series of the WTC23 cycle.


3rd - India

58.33% of possible points - six wins, three losses and two draws in 11 Test matches
Remaining series: England (away - one rescheduled Test from 2021 August-September series), Australia (home - four Tests), Bangladesh (away - two Tests)

The finalists of the inaugural World Test Championship got off to a great start in this cycle of the WTC, leading the incomplete England series 2-1 and before beating New Zealand 1-0.

The 2-1 series loss to South Africa dented India, though they managed to bounce back with a 2-0 sweep against Sri Lanka, with Rohit Sharma taking over from Virat Kohli.

India’s road to the finals, if they do manage to qualify, looks a little tricky. They will play the one-off Test against England before hosting current WTC leaders Australia at home. Bangladesh too have been a difficult team to beat on home soil.

They will be banking on their star bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who is currently the leading wicket-taker in WTC23, in the upcoming series and will be hoping to make consecutive finals under new leadership.


4th - Pakistan

52.38% of possible points - three wins, two losses and two draws in eight Test matches
Remaining series: Sri Lanka (away - two Tests), England (home - three Tests), New Zealand (home - two Tests)

Pakistan started the WTC23 campaign with two away series. They drew 1-1 against West Indies before whitewashing Bangladesh 2-0. They were considered favourites against Australia at home, only to lose 1-0.

Despite the defeat at home, Pakistan are in a great position play all of their remaining series in the sub-continent.

Led by ICC ODI Player of the Year 2021 Babar Azam and the bowling spearheaded by ICC Player of the Year 2021 Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is also the second-highest wicket-taker in the WTC23, Pakistan have a very good chance of challenging for the top two spots in the standings.


5th - Sri Lanka

50% of possible points - two wins, two losses in four Test matches
Remaining series: Bangladesh (away - two Tests), Australia (home - two Tests), Pakistan (home - two Tests), New Zealand (away - two Tests)

Of all the teams so far, Sri Lanka have played the fewest matches so far, having played just four games. They have won two and lost two so far. They dominated West Indies at home but were humbled by India away.

The good news for them is they still have a long road ahead of them with four series remaining, two of which they will play at home and one other in the sub-continent.

Dimuth Karunaratne has been leading by example so far for Sri Lanka and they will heavily depend on their skipper if they are to scale the WTC23 standings in the coming series.


6th - New Zealand

38.88% of possible points - two wins, three losses and one draw in six Test matches
Remaining series: England (away - three Tests), Sri Lanka (home - two Tests), Pakistan (away - two Tests)

The defending champions find themselves in a spot of bother in the WTC23 standings, currently sixth after failing to win a single series they have played so far.

Their first series was against the team they beat in the finals of WTC21, India, away from home. Though they managed to draw the first Test, they were comprehensively beaten in the second.

They were stunned by Bangladesh at home in the first Test of the series but managed to redeem themselves in the next game with an innings win.

In the series against South Africa, they let go of 1-0 series lead as they lost the second Test by a huge margin of 198 runs.

Elbow issues have kept their star player Kane Williamson out, featuring in one of their first six Tests. In his absence, Tom Latham has filled the void of captain as well as their go-to batter, with 446 runs in six matches so far.

The road ahead is going to be quite challenging for the Black Caps, who have two series in the subcontinent.


7th - West Indies

35.71% of possible points - two wins, three losses and two draws in seven Test matches
Remaining series: Bangladesh (away - two Tests), South Africa (away - two Tests), Australia (away - two Tests)

West Indies began their WTC23 journey on a high, with a final-wicket heist against Pakistan at home. Unfortunately, they couldn’t build on it as they lost three consecutive games, one against Pakistan with the series ending 1-1 and two against Sri Lanka that saw them being swept 2-0.

They showed a lot more fight against England at home, winning the final game after drawing the first two to take the series 1-0.

The Windies have a tall order ahead of them, which includes away series against South Africa and tournament leaders Australia.

They have been led by example by Kraigg Brathwaite, who is currently the fifth-highest run-getter in WTC23 so far. Youngster Jayden Seales has been impressive with the ball but will need more players to put their hands up in upcoming series.


8th - Bangladesh

16.66% of possible points - one win, fives losses in six Test matches
Remaining series: Sri Lanka (home - two Tests), West Indies (away - two Tests), India (home - two Tests)

Bangladesh have endured a very difficult start to their WTC23 campaign, losing five of the six games so far.

They were convincingly beaten at home by Pakistan 2-0 before they pulled off one of the greatest upsets in recent Test history. Given no chance against New Zealand in difficult away conditions, they made a statement of intent by beating the Black Caps by eight wickets in the first Test.

However, that has been the only high point of their campaign so far. Since then, they lost to New Zealand by an innings in a series that ended 1-1 and were humbled by South Africa 2-0 recently, where they managed to score 53 and 80 in the two second innings of the series.

Though Bangladesh have two of the remaining three series at home, they will have to play top-notch cricket if they are looking to ascend the table.


9th - England

12.50% of possible points - one win, seven losses and three draws in 11 Test matches
India (home - one rescheduled Test from 2021 August-September series), New Zealand (home - three Tests), South Africa (home - three Tests), Pakistan (away - three Tests)

It would be an understatement to say that England have endured a nightmarish start to WTC23. After playing 11 games, they have only one win to show and to make matters worse, they have been docked 10 points so far as a penalty for maintaining slow over-rate.

WTC23 kicked off with England hosting India for a five-match series. England’s innings win in Headingly was sandwiched between two losses in Lord’s and The Oval. India currently lead the series 2-1 which will be completed in July this year.

Things went from bad to worse for England when they were humbled by arch-rivals Australia 4-0 in the Ashes. Though they did show some fight against West Indies in the first two of the three Tests, they eventually crumbled in the final game.

Joe Root has been one of their few bright spots – he is currently the top run-scorer of the WTC23 cycle with 1175 runs.

Of the remaining 10 games, England will play seven at home, though they will have to play out of their skin to ascend the table. At this point, it does look unlikely that they will finish in the top two spots.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2573530
 
As the 2021-22 international Test cricket season comes to a close after South Africa’s 2-0 whitewash over Bangladesh, the ICC World Test Championship takes a month-long break.

The WTC23 cycle that began with India touring England has had no shortage of nail-biting action so far. Along the way, there have been some results that nobody would have predicted.

Before the next Test cricket season begins with Bangladesh hosting Sri Lanka, we take a look back at some of the biggest upsets so far in World Test Championship 2021-23 cycle.

Bangladesh beat New Zealand by eight wickets

The biggest upset in the WTC23 so far was Bangladesh’s triumph over New Zealand in the first Test of the two-match series in Bay Oval, Tauranga.

The sheer amount of records that Bangladesh broke, which include their first win against New Zealand in New Zealand in any format, their first Test win over New Zealand in their 16th attempt and their first Test win over a top-five ICC-ranked team away from home, show the magnitude of the victory.

The Black Caps managed to erase the deficit while losing just two wickets, but an inspired spell of fast bowling from Ebadot Hossain (6/70) reduced New Zealand to just 169, leaving the Tigers with a target of 40 to chase.

The Tigers chased the total down in 17 overs, sparking wild celebrations in the Bangladesh camp as they secured arguably their greatest win in Test cricket history.

West Indies beat Pakistan by one wicket

Kemar Roach has won West Indies many a game with the ball but against Pakistan in Kingston, he did it with the bat in hand.

Chasing 168 in the final innings, the hosts looked down and out at 114/7 when Roach walked in but a gritty innings from the speedster helped West Indies pull off a last-wicket heist.

Put in to bat first, Pakistan managed only 217. Fifties from Kraigg Brathwaite and Jason Holder helped West Indies to a slender yet important 36-run lead. Jayden Seales’ five-for restricted Pakistan to 203, setting West Indies a target of 168.

Pakistan pace trio of Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali and Faheem Ashraf threatened to take the game away from the hosts quickly. Windies were staring down the barrel as they went from 114/7 to 142/8 to 151/9.

Though wickets kept falling, Roach at one end was solid. Seales, who had already secured a five-for, now had to win the game with the bat along with Roach. Together, the No.9 and No.11 batters got West Indies across the line with a 17-run unbeaten partnership, securing a win that will be remembered for a long time.

"I have never been in a situation like that before, batting with the tail," said Kemar Roach after the game. "I am part of the tail, so for me it was to go out there and believe... that was the biggest thing, to believe and stay positive. And it worked, and I give thanks."

South Africa’s comeback against India

On paper, South Africa’s series win may not seem like an upset, given India have never beaten the Proteas away from home in the first place. But considering they came back from 1-0 down against the then No.1 Test team in the world was quite an achievement.

India took the first Test comfortably by 113 runs, with KL Rahul (123 in the first innings) and Mohammad Shami (5/44 and 3/63) starring for the visitors. India were on the verge of breaching the final frontier but South Africa fought back hard to preserve their record.

India set South Africa a target of 240 but the Proteas had more than two days to chase it down. Captain Dean Elgar stood tall with an unbeaten 96 in their chase. Keegan Petersen, playing just his fourth Test, made handy contributions as South Africa levelled the series with a seven-wicket win.

India were dealt a body blow ahead of the final Test, with skipper Virat Kohli missing out due to a back injury.

India managed a slender 13-run lead but were bowled out for 198, thanks to an unbeaten 100 from Rishabh Pant, setting South Africa a target of 210. Petersen followed up his 72 from the first innings with an 82 in the second to hold the chase together.

South Africa beat India by 7 wickets to complete the comeback series win, which turned out to be Kohli’s last as Test captain.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2574450
 
Top all-round performances in World Test Championship 2023 so far

Here is a look at the five most valuable all-round performances witnessed during the ICC World Test Championship 2023.

Jadeja storm wreaks havoc on Sri Lanka

Ravindra Jadeja proved yet again why he sits on the throne of No.1 Test all-rounder in the MRF Tyres ICC Players Rankings. In the first Test of the series against Sri Lanka, Jadeja scored a clinical 175* and recorded figures of 5/41 & 4/46. The landmark performance meant Jadeja became only the sixth player to score 150 or more and take a five-for in the same men’s Test.

If Jadeja would have picked up another wicket, he would have become the first player to score 150 plus and take a ten-for. The venue in Mohali also proved to be a happy hunting ground for the all-rounder as he bagged his third consecutive Player of the Match award playing there.

Jadeja’s epic all-round display meant India registered a comprehensive win by an innings and 222 runs.

Matt Henry’s annihilation versus South Africa

Henry stepped up in Trent Boult’s absence in the first Test against South Africa in Christchurch. After opting to bowl first, Henry made full use of the conditions, exploiting swing and bounce.

The quick made early inroads with Dean Elgar’s wicket in only his fourth delivery, then, he stifled the Proteas batter with the ball nipping away in the off-stump channel to complete his first five-wicket haul in Tests to end with career-best figures of 7/23.

The carnage continued with the bat. Henry walked in to bat at No.11 and struck an unbeaten 58* off 68 balls. In the second innings, Henry claimed another couple of wickets, helping New Zealand win by an innings and 276 runs.

Shardul Thakur’s fiery assault against England

In the 4th Test against England at Oval, Thakur arrived all guns blazing, playing a counter-attacking knock of 57 off 36 balls studded with 7 fours and 3 sixes. This innings broke Sir Ian Botham’s record of scoring the fastest Test fifty in England as Thakur achieved this feat in 31 balls, one ball less than Botham. Thakur went on to score another fifty in the second innings, becoming only the third Indian batter to do so while batting at number eight.

To complete his all-round performance, the pace-bowler snared the important wickets of Ollie Pope who looked threatening batting on 81, in-form Joe Root for 36 runs and half-centurion Rory Burns. Thakur’s contributions helped India break the deadlock and take a 2-1 lead in the series.

Memorable Maharaj magic

Maharaj delivered one of the jaw-dropping performances in the recently concluded Test series against Bangladesh, claiming a seven-wicket haul in consecutive Test matches. Particularly in the second Test, Maharaj demonstrated his capabilities with both bat and ball. Batting at number eight, the left-arm all-rounder scored 84 runs off just 95 balls – an innings laced with 9 fours and 3 sixes – followed by 2/57 in the first innings with the ball.

Chasing a target of 413 runs, Bangladesh faced Maharaj’s wraith from the first over as South Africa deployed spin from either end. Maharaj finished the second innings with the figures of 7/40 to help bowl out the visitors for 80 and seal and 332-run victory.

Captain Mominul shines in historic Test win over New Zealand

Skipper Mominul Haque helped his side achieve a momentous victory in Bangladesh’s cricketing history, defeating the reigning ICC World Test Champions New Zealand in their own backyard for the very first time. Mominul starred with the bat in the first innings, scoring a disciplined 88 off 244 balls. He also picked crucial wickets of Devon Conway who was cruising along on 122 and dangerous Henry Nicholls striking on 75 off 127 balls. It was only fitting that Mominul was in the middle when the winning runs were scored, chasing a target of 40 runs.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2574184
 
After England's 5 wicket win in the 1st Test vs NZ

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With England looking a completely different team under stokes, I think chances of South Africa making it to Lord's next year are pretty slim now. They already have a tough assignment in Australia but now a 3-Test rubber in England looks like a total PCT drainer.


Looks like an India vs Australia final from here unless Aussies bomb real hard in India and Sri Lanka by losing 5 out of 6 Tests.
 
After Windies 7 wicket win in the 1st Test against Bangladesh

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Updated table.

England move above New Zealand and Bangladesh.
 
india will likely loose to australia at home given how poor the batting is . india likely will loose 2-1 to aussie
 
<b>World Test Championship

05 Jul 22

Pakistan jump above India in WTC standings after points penalty</b>

Pakistan have jumped above India in the ICC World Test Championship standings after the latter were penalised for slow over-rate in the Edgbaston Test.

Apart from the points penalty, India have also been fined 40 per cent of their match fee for the offence during their seven-wicket loss against England in the rescheduled fifth Test.

The points penalty means India drop below Pakistan to the fourth spot in the ICC World Test Championship standings. After the penalty, India are on 75 points (point percentage of 52.08), just a shade below Pakistan's PCT of 52.38 per cent.

The news comes as a further blow to India, who were defeated by seven wickets in Edgbaston after England chased down a record 378 – their highest-successful run chase in Test history. Jonny Bairstow led the way with a ton in each innings while Joe Root too smashed an unbeaten 142 in the fourth innings.

It meant England levelled the series 2-2, and India missed out on a chance to secure their first Test series victory in England since 2007.

According to Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, players are fined 20 per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

In addition, as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) playing conditions, a side is penalised one point for each over short.

Since India fell short by two overs after time allowances were taken into consideration, they were docked two WTC points.

David Boon of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after on-field umpires Aleem Dar and Richard Kettleborough, third umpire Marais Erasmus and fourth umpire Alex Wharf levelled the charge.

The penalty comes as a blow, with India chasing one of the top two spots in the WTC table, which will see the side qualify for the final in 2023.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2668403/
 
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Updated WTC table.

Getting quite squeezed at the top.
 
Pakistan:

Remaining series: Sri Lanka (away - two Tests), England (home - three Tests), New Zealand (home - two Tests)

India:

Remaining series: Australia (home - four Tests), Bangladesh (away - two Tests)

South Africa:

Remaining series : England away - three tests, Australia away three tests, West Indies home two tests

What are the chances then?
 
Can Pakistan make it to the final? Anyways, looking forward to the England test series!

India should win all their remaining games.

Or will it be the SA?
 
Lol, amid the hype and hoopla let's remember England are still at #7 in the rankings and just managed to save themselves from a home series defeat.
 
Pakistan have to beat sri lanka and nzl
2-0 2-0 and england 2-0 as well.
6 wins out of 7

Looks possible but the manner in which pcb plays test cricket. Its difficult.
 
Can Pakistan make it to the final? Anyways, looking forward to the England test series!

India should win all their remaining games.

Or will it be the SA?

How india should win all their remaining games ?
They will beat bangladesh 2-0
But Aussies will definitely win 2 test matches in india or may be 1 and 1 might be draw.
If india beats aussies 2-1
They will still not make it to final

Aussies clean sweep South Africa
And if pakistan bears sri lanka nzl eng 2-0,2-0,2-0
It will be Pak v Aus final
 
Pakistan:

Remaining series: Sri Lanka (away - two Tests), England (home - three Tests), New Zealand (home - two Tests)

India:

Remaining series: Australia (home - four Tests), Bangladesh (away - two Tests)

South Africa:

Remaining series : England away - three tests, Australia away three tests, West Indies home two tests

What are the chances then?

Who cares? All of this is pointless until BCCI/Indian government man’s up and plays Pakistan like it does all other teams
 
Pakistan have to beat sri lanka and nzl
2-0 2-0 and england 2-0 as well.
6 wins out of 7

Looks possible but the manner in which pcb plays test cricket. Its difficult.

Rameez should get drop in pitches from UAE :))
 
Pakistan had the most favourable fixtures in this test cycle. The 3 remain series are in Asia so went get a better chance to reach final. But negative cricket they play will stop them from doing so.
 
Pakistan had the most favourable fixtures in this test cycle. The 3 remain series are in Asia so went get a better chance to reach final. But negative cricket they play will stop them from doing so.

They need to resort to spin friendly tracks and try to get Nauman, Yasir Shah and Sajid Khan involved.

Shadab Khan is a must in the Test side too. He will add depth with the batting
 
They need to resort to spin friendly tracks and try to get Nauman, Yasir Shah and Sajid Khan involved.

Shadab Khan is a must in the Test side too. He will add depth with the batting

No point in making pitches to suit sunday league spinners. We need to be brave, prepare normal pitches with slight help for seamers and back Shaheen, Hasan and Naseem.
Home bowlers always have an advantage. Naseem bowled beautifully vs Australia on flat wickets when he would likely struggle at this stage on flat pitches away.
Much better than the pining your hope on below average and washed up spinners.

Shadab should be playing tests now, I agree.
 
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No point in making pitches to suit sunday league spinners. We need to be brave, prepare normal pitches with slight help for seamers and back Shaheen, Hasan and Naseem.
Home bowlers always have an advantage. Naseem bowled beautifully vs Australia when he would likely struggle on similar flat pitches away.
Much better than the pining your hope on below average and washed up spinners.

Shadab should be playing tests now, I agree.

These three pacers will not outperform Boult, Southee and Wagner/Henry+ Jamieson on the same track. Our strength against the SENA sides has always been the threat of Spin, whilst our batsmen have traditionally been better at dealing with the threat in sub continent conditions

Pakistan are missing those batsmen. We have a guy like Imam ul Haq who doesn’t understand that you do not have to play at balls outside of leg from spinners. Our skills against spin are probably at their lowest point ever
 
Lol, amid the hype and hoopla let's remember England are still at #7 in the rankings and just managed to save themselves from a home series defeat.

Not quite technically true.

England are in the mid to lower table within the WTC cycle [#7] but they are a very respectable #4 in the overall rankings. They have moved up two positions in both of these standings within the last month.

I would consider England to be an emerging side.

They even have a solid 50 averaging batsman now as well, which will please you I’m sure. :)
 
These three pacers will not outperform Boult, Southee and Wagner/Henry+ Jamieson on the same track. Our strength against the SENA sides has always been the threat of Spin, whilst our batsmen have traditionally been better at dealing with the threat in sub continent conditions

Pakistan are missing those batsmen. We have a guy like Imam ul Haq who doesn’t understand that you do not have to play at balls outside of leg from spinners. Our skills against spin are probably at their lowest point ever

They can outperform those pacers at home. They outperformed the SA trio alright. They need to be given a fair chance. Ajaz patel won a game for NZ even in UAE. No point banking on spin.

Plus as you say, our batsmen are poor vs spin. It's a lose lose decision imo. We neither have the spinners, nor the batsmen to play the spin game.
Our best bet remains preparing wickets good to bat on with a hint of help for seamers. Not all visiting teams will be able to use reverse as good as Australia. Pakistan used reverse swing better than SA and that made a difference.
 
We can produce spin wickets, sporting wickets etc.. the facts are Babar is a negative and defensive captain. Watch both england and new zealand score heavily in the conditions and they will do so quickly. At same time imam, Azhar Ali will just dead bat everything allowing opposition bowlers to get control. no one is asking pakistan to play over aggressive cricket but they cant even manage to play positively. until such snails are removed from the batting pakistan will not win test matches at home against top sides.
 
We can produce spin wickets, sporting wickets etc.. the facts are Babar is a negative and defensive captain. Watch both england and new zealand score heavily in the conditions and they will do so quickly. At same time imam, Azhar Ali will just dead bat everything allowing opposition bowlers to get control. no one is asking pakistan to play over aggressive cricket but they cant even manage to play positively. until such snails are removed from the batting pakistan will not win test matches at home against top sides.

Abdullah Shafique too. His tuk tuk on the flat pancakes is torture
 
How india should win all their remaining games ?
They will beat bangladesh 2-0
But Aussies will definitely win 2 test matches in india or may be 1 and 1 might be draw.
If india beats aussies 2-1
They will still not make it to final

Aussies clean sweep South Africa
And if pakistan bears sri lanka nzl eng 2-0,2-0,2-0
It will be Pak v Aus final

Australia will not do as well in India as they did in Pak.
Indian pitches favor spinner much more and are graveyards for fast bowlers.
There was something on offer for pacers in Pak wickets specially reverse that Starc utilized perfectly.
 
Pakistan vs SL 1-1
Pakistan vs NZ 1-1
Pakistan vs England 0-2.
Its highly unlikely we can we any of these series with expired and useless players like Azhar, Hasan, Nauman, Sarfraz..
 
Pakistan:

Remaining series: Sri Lanka (away - two Tests), England (home - three Tests), New Zealand (home - two Tests)

India:

Remaining series: Australia (home - four Tests), Bangladesh (away - two Tests)

South Africa:

Remaining series : England away - three tests, Australia away three tests, West Indies home two tests

What are the chances then?
Between India and Pakistan.

Can't see SA getting too many points from Eng and Aus.

Aus are locked in. Where is the final being played?
 
Over rate penalties under Joe Root’s captaincy have absolutely killed England, they’d genuinely have an outside chance of making the final from this position otherwise.


Over rate penalties are making a mockery of the Test championship.
 
Pakistan vs SL 1-1
Pakistan vs NZ 1-1
Pakistan vs England 0-2.
Its highly unlikely we can we any of these series with expired and useless players like Azhar, Hasan, Nauman, Sarfraz..

LoL, Expired Players Last time I checked all four are living.
 
Over rate penalties are making a mockery of the Test championship.

Something needs to be done with over rates very soon. Clearly for whichever reason it is close to impossible for most sides to bowl 90 overs in a day + 30 minutes. The expectation that sides bowl 15 overs every hour is just not being met. If there is a result within the five days then who cares about over rates anyway.
 
Something needs to be done with over rates very soon. Clearly for whichever reason it is close to impossible for most sides to bowl 90 overs in a day + 30 minutes. The expectation that sides bowl 15 overs every hour is just not being met. If there is a result within the five days then who cares about over rates anyway.

if players are lax abt it with penalties, they would be next level slow if there was no sanctiosn. there's a lot of time wasting in cricket, apart form express pacers, of which there are not many in test cricket, it should not be difficult for a team to bowl an over every four minutes on average.
 
Something needs to be done with over rates very soon. Clearly for whichever reason it is close to impossible for most sides to bowl 90 overs in a day + 30 minutes. The expectation that sides bowl 15 overs every hour is just not being met. If there is a result within the five days then who cares about over rates anyway.

People who watch at the ground + on Tv care abut over rates. If the game is a dawdle, it is less fun to watch (unless the action is at such a key, gripping section that all else is forgotten).

10 run addition to batting teams score per over short per day. Added as extras. 6 hours to bowl your overs.

Overtime only used if match referee approves (if many wickets are falling to slow things down, multiple video referrals per session, sightscreen issues or deliberate slow play by batsmen).

Umpires to enforce the (current) rule that batsmen should be ready as soon as the bowler is, not given endless chats & gardening breaks or allowed to pull away and reset if feeling rushed as currently interpreted. Bowler sets the tempo. If he can get to his mark then batter is presumed ready. Stop the coddling of batsmen which goes back to the old amateurs vs professionals days.

If you're short overs in the 4th inning and there is no result, captain suspended from next match. Every time. 2 match suspension for 2nd offence within 2 years. 3 match for 3rd etc.

There's no reason fielding teams can't get through 90 a day. Clubbies get through overs way faster and believe me every club in Oz has a couple of bowlers who reckon they need 35m run ups to deliver their 130k thunderbolts.
 
Australia seem booked for final.

So, one from India, South Africa, and Pakistan may go to final. It should be either India or Pakistan.

Either way, I expect Australia to win the WTC this time.
 
Australia is going to drop points for sure in 2nd Test. Either they will lose the 2nd Test or draw + icc will also penalize Aussies for slow over rate like India and 2 more valuable points will be deducted.
It is an opening for Pakistan. If Pak can somehow beat Sri lanka 2-0 they will be right there to be favorites to reach WTC final as next 2 tests series are at home. And both nzl/Eng will not pose a threat of Aussies at home.
 
Sri Lanka's stunning victory over Australia in the second Test in Galle has had major ramifications on the race for next year's World Test Championship final.

The island nation completed a remarkable innings and 39 runs triumph over Pat Cummins' side on Monday and in the process jumped ahead of a trio of rivals and up to third on the latest World Test Championship standings.

But it's right at the top of the standings that now has a new look, with Australia losing their place at the head of proceedings following their disappointing loss to Sri Lanka.

South Africa take over as the new leader on the latest standings with a win-loss percentage of 71.43 percent, while Australia drop to second with 70 percent after their first Test loss in the current period.

Sri Lanka are now firmly in the mix for the World Test Championship final next year, with their win helping them jump in front of Pakistan, India and West Indies and up to third on the standings.

Despite the absence of a host of key players due to Covid, Sri Lanka got dominant performances from star batter Dinesh Chandimal and debutant Prabath Jayasuriya in the second Test to cruise to an easy victory.

It means Dimuth Karunaratne's side now has a 54.17 win-loss percentage and has them ahead of a host of close rivals in the race for the World Test Championship mace.

Sri Lanka don't have to wait long to close the gap even further on the sides in front of them on the standings, with a two-match Test series at home against Pakistan commencing later this month.

Australia, meanwhile, take a short break from five-day cricket, with their next Test outing coming at home against West Indies at the end of November.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2674795

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Pakistan's remarkable victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test in Galle has seen a major reshuffle within the top five on the World Test Championship standings.

Babar Azam's side successfully chased down 342 runs to complete an extraordinary four-wicket triumph over Sri Lanka on Wednesday, 20 July, and in the process boosted their chances of appearing in next year's World Test Championship final.

The win sees Pakistan jump in front of Sri Lanka and into third place on the World Test Championship standings with a win-loss percentage of 58.33 percent, with only South Africa (71.43%) and Australia (70%) now ahead of the Asian side.

The news isn't as good for Sri Lanka, who drop three places to sixth on the standings with a 48.15 win-loss percentage.

As a result, India improve one spot to fourth (52.08%) and West Indies rise to fifth (50%) ahead of the second Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Galle next week.

A win there will see Pakistan make further ground on South Africa and Australia at the top of the standings, while a loss will see Babar's side drop back to fifth.

Conversely, Sri Lanka can regain third place on the standings if they can recover quickly, fight back and level the series by winning the second Test.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2684125

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So these are the top 4 contenders now and pretty much the only sides who still have a realistic chance of making it to the final -

Australia
India
Pakistan
South Africa


And the series' that are extremely critical to the standings from now on are -

England vs South Africa (3 Tests)
Pakistan vs England/New Zealand (5 Tests)
Australia vs South Africa (3 Tests)
India vs Australia (4 Tests).
 
So these are the top 4 contenders now and pretty much the only sides who still have a realistic chance of making it to the final -

Australia
India
Pakistan
South Africa


And the series' that are extremely critical to the standings from now on are -

England vs South Africa (3 Tests)
Pakistan vs England/New Zealand (5 Tests)
Australia vs South Africa (3 Tests)
India vs Australia (4 Tests).

I think Australia vs Pakistan will be the final.
 
South Africa are the least likely to qualify out of the 4 contenders, although they're no.1 on the table right now. 6 out of their remaining 8 tests are in England and Australia. With the former's supreme recent form and the latter's overall strength at home , it'd be an achievement for SAF even if they manage to take 16-24 points (one win-one draw or two wins) out of the available 72.

If that's what ends up happening, South Africa will end up with a PCT of less than 60% and that won't be enough.

Pakistan have a good chance of making it through, if they manage to win at least 4 out of the 6 remaining Tests (with 62-64%). But they'll have to depend on the India vs Australia series result. If they win 5, they are pretty much a sure shot to play the finals with a PCT of close to 70%.

India are expected to win at least 4 out of the remaining 6 Tests, but that won't be enough to make the finals. If India win 5, they will have to depend on Pakistan's results against Eng/NZ and if we win 6 , they are pretty much through.

Australia have a simple equation although it can get pretty tricky if they drop more than 4 points (one draw) against WI/SAF at home. Simply avoid a 3-0 or a 4-0 result in India, and preferably win 1 game. Anything less, they'll be in tough waters and anything more... they'll walk their way to the final.
 
I think Australia vs Pakistan will be the final.


Yes that looks like the most likely scenario from here as Australia seem to have improved in subcontinent conditions. Although India is a different beast altogether from Pak/SL when playing at home so you never know.

Also Pakistan winning Tests against NZ/England at home is not really a foregone conclusion as they have competent batting units and Pak's bowling attack isn't lethal enough to consistently pick 20 wickets.

I'd say these are the likely final probabilities from now keeping the fixtures in mind -

Australia vs India - 40%
Australia vs Pakistan - 33%
India vs Pakistan - 25%
South Africa making it to the final and playing one among Ind/Pak/Aus - 2%
 
Hopefully it will be an India vs Pakistan final. :inti


Yes hopefully. An ICC final between Cricket's greatest rivals , in the premier format and at Lords. It just cannot get bigger than that... at least for test enthusiasts like me.

But unfortunately, both teams have made it that much harder for themselves to reach the final with some stupid decisions and under performing at crucial stages. India by losing a winnable series in South Africa and then running away from the 5th test in England when they were down and out. And Pakistan by losing to WI in an easily winnable game and then proceeding to prepare some of the worst test surfaces of all time at home against Australia.
 
For an India vs Pakistan final to happen, these are the things that need to go their way -

1. South Africa should lose to England. Any margin will do. 1-0 or 2-0 or 2-1.

2. Pakistan should win the next test in Sri Lanka, and then win at least 3 out of the 5 home tests against Eng/NZ with no more than one defeat.

3. India should win at least 5 out of the 6 remaining tests against Ban/Aus.

4. Ideally the Australia vs South Africa series should end 1-1 so that both teams end up dropping maximum number of points. If this happens, both India and Pak can have more cushion and can afford to drop a few more points.

5. If WI manages o upset Australia and win one of the two games, then it'll just be an added bonus and Ind/Pak can have even more leeway.
 
This is what i think will happen

England to beat Proteas 2-1
Australia to beat Proteas 2-1

So South Africa is out.

India to beat Bangladesh 2-0
India to beat Australia 2-1 (1 draw) just like 2017 test tour of Aus

So India will be out too.

Australia to beat South Africa 2-1
Australia to beat Windies 2-0
Australia to lose against India 1-2

Australia will be in Final

Pakistan to beat sri lanka 1-0 (1 draw)
Pakistan to beat New zealand 1-0 ( 1 draw)
Pakistan to beat England 2-1

Pakistan will jyst cross the line marginally to be in Final

Lords WTC Final
Australia v Pakistan

Chance for Pakistan to bury the ghosts of 1999 odi world cup final.
 
The ICC Board approved Lord’s Cricket Ground as the host for the ICC World Test Championship Finals in 2023 and 2025.
 
Sri Lanka's resounding 246-run victory over Pakistan in the second Test in Galle has seen them break into the top five of the ICC World Test Championship standings.

The two-Test series between the two nations has been an exciting one with both teams taking a match each. Pakistan went 1-0 up in the series with a four-wicket win in the first Test. Chasing 342, the visitors boosted their chances of appearing in next year's World Test Championship final, going to the third spot in the standings, while Sri Lanka ended up slipping to No.6.

And now the tables have been reversed with Sri Lanka climbing to the third spot with a win percentage of 53.33, while Pakistan have dropped down to No.5 with a win percentage of 51.85.

South Africa continue to rule the table with a PCT of 71.43%, followed by Australia, who are at 70%. South Africa have a good chance of widening the gap when they take on England in a three-match Test series next month.

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Well after this series, it's safe to say Pakistan reaching the final is pretty much improbable. Not impossible.... but will most likely won't happen. Winning 4/5 tests against good batting units like England and NZ with a mediocre bowling attack is going to be too tall a mountain to climb.

So now it's going to be a three way race between Australia, India and South Africa for the top 2 finish. I think we'll get a clearer picture after the SA vs Eng series.
 
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