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Pakistan languish at bottom in WTC standings after West Indies defeat

MULTAN: Pakistan suffered a 120-run defeat in the second Test against the West Indies here on Monday, consequently falling to the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 standings.

West Indies left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican claimed a five-wicket haul to bundle the hosts for 133 in the second innings to help his team level the two-match series 1-1.

This was West Indies’ first Test win in Pakistan since their seven-wicket triumph under the captaincy of Desmond Haynes in Faisalabad back in 1990.

With this loss, Pakistan finished the current WTC cycle at the bottom, with only five wins in 14 matches.

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Their only notable overseas performance was a 2-0 victory against Sri Lanka in July 2023. Following that Pakistan managed to win only three Test matches, all on their home soil.

It’s worth noting that in the previous cycle, Pakistan ended in eighth position, which highlights their recent struggles in red-ball cricket.

Meanwhile, the West Indies also finished poorly ranking just ahead of the Pakistan team in 8th place with a PCT of 28.21.

Their record for this cycle includes three wins, two draws, and eight losses in 13 matches.

The two finalists of the WTC, South Africa and Australia are sitting at the top of the table with a PCT of 69.44 and 63.73 respectively.

Australia position will remain same on points table even if they whitewash Sri Lanka in the upcoming two-match Test series.

READ: Jomel Warrican steers West Indies to historic Test win against Pakistan

How can India qualify for WTC final after Melbourne Test defeat against Australia?

MELBOURNE: India suffered a major blow to their chances of qualifying for the final of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) after suffering a thumping defeat in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia here on Monday.

India bundled for 155 with just 12.5 overs left in the match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as Australia claimed a thrilling 184-run victory to go 2-1 up in the five-match series.

Despite the heavy defeat, India are still in contention for a spot in the WTC final next year at Lord’s. Currently ranked No. 3 on the points table, India holds a Percentage of Points (PCT%) of 52.78, leaving them with a glimmer of hope.

To secure their qualification, India must triumph over Australia in the crucial fifth Test match, which is set to commence on January 3, 2025, at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

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However, India will also need Sri Lanka to achieve victory over Australia in their two-match Test series, scheduled to begin on January 29, 2025, in Galle. A series win for Sri Lanka by either 2-0 or 1-0 would be essential for India’s chances.

If everything falls into place, India could conclude the WTC 2023-25 cycle with a PCT% of 55.26. In this scenario, Australia’s maximum PCT% could rise to 53.51, while Sri Lanka could finish with a maximum of 53.85 PCT%.

However, if India fails to secure a win in the fifth Test against Australia, they would be out of the race for the WTC final, even in case of a draw.

Furthermore, if India manages to overcome Australia in Sydney yet Australia still manages to win at least one Test in their series against Sri Lanka, India would still fall short of qualification.

Meanwhile, South Africa have made history on Sunday by clinching their first-ever place in the WTC final. This achievement came after a thrilling victory over Pakistan by two wickets in the first Test of their two-match series in Centurion.

READ: Mohammad Abbas achieves historic feat after heroics in first South Africa Test

Pakistan to play 14 matches as 2023-25 WTC cycle unveiled

DUBAI: Pakistan men’s cricket team will play 14 matches during the next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, which spans from 2023 to 2025.

After dominant Australia thrashed India to win the second edition of the WTC, the International Cricket Council (ICC) unveiled the details of the third cycle in a bid to retain the legacy of the longest format of the game.

As per the ICC-released WTC schedule, Pakistan will play 14 matches against numerous teams over the course of a two-year period.

The Green Shirts will play six series – three home and three away – during their WTC campaign.

Pakistan will take on England, West Indies and Bangladesh in their own backyard while they will face some serious challenges in the away series against reigning champions Australia and South Africa.

The national team, however, will start their WTC campaign with the away series against Sri Lanka, which is likely to commence on July 16.

The third edition of the ICC World Test Championship cycle begins with a clash between a resurgent England side and reigning champions Australia, and will end with a Final at Lord’s in 2025.

Australia might still be revelling in their triumph over India in the ICC World Test Championship Final 2023 but will have to quickly shift their focus to the next WTC cycle that starts with a clash against arch-rivals England on 16 June.

The five-Test Ashes series will kickstart the World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle that is set to include 68 matches scheduled across 27 series and the third WTC Final to be played at Lord’s in 2025.

The nine teams set to participate in the WTC 2023-25 cycle are Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies.

Each WTC series in the cycle will include two to five Tests, with the nine competing teams each playing six series – three at home, and three away.

The top two teams in the WTC standings will then qualify for the Final at Lord’s.

The nine teams do not necessarily play the same number of matches in the WTC cycle, with the standings determined by the percentage of all possible points earned.

England will feature in the greatest number of Test matches during the WTC cycle with 21, while Australia (19) and India (19) will also line up in regular five-day fixtures.

Each Test included in the World Test Championship has 12 points available for a win, with four awarded to each team for a draw, and six to each team for a tie. No points are earned from a loss, and teams can lose points for slow over rates.

Pakistan WTC schedule:

Away series against Sri Lanka (2 matches)
Away series against Australia (3 matches)
Home series against West Indies (2 matches)
Home series against Bangladesh (2 matches)
Home series against England (3 matches)
Away series against South Africa (2 matches)

READ: Najam Sethi thanks ACC for accepting hybrid model for Asia Cup 2023

New Zealand edge Sri Lanka to deny WTC final berth as India through

CHRISTCHURCH: New Zealand’s thrilling last-ball win over dejected Sri Lanka on Monday, propelled last season’s runners-up India into another World Test Championship (WTC) Final, said International Cricket Council (ICC).

Sri Lanka had the opportunity to pip India and join already-qualified Australia in the WTC final but a narrow two-wicket defeat in the first away Test against New Zealand marked the end of Dimuths Karunaratne’s side’s push for the final spot.

After losing the first, Sri Lanka left with the best possible winning percentage of 56%, compared to India’s lowest percentage which is now 57%.

“India’s destructive start to their Test series at home against Australia means their worst possible WTC points percentage is now 57%, assuming there are no penalty points against them for a poor over rate in the fourth Test against Australia in Ahmedabad,” stated ICC in a release.

“Sri Lanka were initially hampered by rain and then unable to bowl out New Zealand on day five of the first Test in Christchurch, meaning Dimuth Karunaratne’s side can now finish with a best possible WTC points percentage of 56% even if they win the second Test,” the statement added.

India’s domination in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy sets up their World Test Championship Final with Australia at The Oval beginning on June 7, with the winner claiming the World Test Championship mace.

India lost the inaugural World Test Championship final against New Zealand in 2021, as Kane Williamson’s men chased down a modest target of 139 in Southampton.

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