WTC | Australia confirm place in World Test Championship final, to play either India and Sri Lanka
Australia have booked a place in the final of the current World Test Championship (WTC) following their dominant nine-wicket victory over India on Friday in Indore. They will now meet either India or Sri Lanka, who will play two Tests away from home against Tim Southee’s New Zealand this month.
After going 0-2 down in the four-match series, Steven Smith’s Australia were ruthless against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore. The visitors bundled out Rohit Sharma and his boys for 109 and 163 respectively and then chased down an easy target of 76 runs with nine wickets in hand.
For claiming 11 wickets (3/35 and 8/64) across the Test, Nathan Lyon was named the Player of the Match. Usman Khawaja starred with the bat during the first innings, scoring a gritty 147-ball 60 to take Australia to 197. Then in the second innings, Travis Head (49*) and Marnus Labuschagne (28*) got the job done after Khawaja fell without scoring.
Australia’s convincing victory over India helped them amass a PCT of 68.52 of their possible WTC points, meaning they will finish the current period in first place on the World Test Championship standings regardless of the result in the final Test against India, to be played in Ahmedabad. India, following the defeat, are with a PCT of 60.29.
Meanwhile. Sri Lanka, who are third with a PCT of 53,33, can dethrone India if the latter lose to Australia in the final Test and the former beat New Zealand in the upcoming two-match series, starting on March 9. However, if India win the fourth Test, they will qualify for the final, which will be a one-off Test at The Oval in June.
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