New Zealand pulled off a humdinger of a win in Christchurch against Sri Lanka which meant India have qualified for the ICC World Test Championship final scheduled to be played at the Oval in London from 7 to 11 June.
Later, India clinched the four-match series against Australia 2-1 after the final Test ended in a draw on Monday in Ahmedabad following defiant half-centuries from Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne.
Even before the players shook hands India knew they had qualified for the World Test Championship final after New Zealand edged out Sri Lanka by two wickets in the opening Test in Christchurch.
India will now face Australia in the final of the WTC in June, playing in the summit clash for the second time in two editions.
The result in the fourth Test between India and Australia became immaterial for the qualification chances. Sri Lanka had to win their series 2-0 to stand a chance, which is now not possible.
Australia had earlier secured their spot in their first ICC World Test Championship Final following their resounding 9-wicket win in the third Test in Indore.
| TEAM | PCT (%) | PTS | MATCHES W-L-D | SER | PEN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUSTRALIA (Q) | 66.67 | 152 | 11-3-5 | 6 | 0 |
| INDIA (Q) | 58.8 | 127 | 10-5-3 | 6 | -5 |
| SOUTH AFRICA | 55.56 | 100 | 8-6-1 | 6 | 0 |
| SRI LANKA | 48.48 | 64 | 5-5-1 | 6 | 0 |
| ENGLAND | 46.97 | 124 | 10-8-4 | 6 | -12 |
| PAKISTAN | 38.1 | 64 | 4-6-4 | 6 | 0 |
| WEST INDIES | 34.62 | 54 | 4-7-2 | 6 | -2 |
| NEW ZEALAND | 33.33 | 48 | 3-6-3 | 6 | 0 |
| BANGLADESH | 11.11 | 16 | 1-10-1 | 6 | 0 |
The current cycle has run from July 2021 to June 2023 and comprises the top nine Test teams, all of whom have played six series each - three at home and three away.
With AFP inputs
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