How can India still reach the ICC WTC Final 2025?: India’s campaign at the BGT 2024-25 has been on a downturn since after winning the first Test of the series in Perth.
Australia won the Adelaide Test by 10 wickets before the Brisbane Test ended in a draw due to heavy rains. The MCG Test was a thriller that ended within the last hour of day 5 with the hosts prevailing by 184 runs after the game looked to be headed to a draw at one point when Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal blunted out the entire second session without losing their wickets.
India were set a target of 340 runs on day 5 at the MCG, and they never went after it. They lost three wickets in the first session, but Jaiswal and Pant showed brilliant composure to remain unscathed in the second session.
However, a reckless shot from Pant—a wild slog to the part-timer Travis Head that saw him caught at wide long-on—triggered a collapse and gave Australia the opening they needed to ram through the rest of the Indian batting order. India slipped from 121/3 to 155 all out and went 2-1 down in the series with one Test to go.
With this loss, their chances of reaching the ICC WTC Final in 2025 took a massive dent. They are not out of the contention yet but are now dependent on other results.
ICC WTC Table:
South Africa are the first team to seal their place in the ICC WTC Final next year with their close two-wicket win over Pakistan in Centurion. They currently sit at the top of the points table with 66.67%.
Australia are second with 61.46%, followed by India with 52.78%. Sri Lanka are fifth with 45.45%. India have only one match remaining—vs Australia in Sydney. After that, Australia will play a two-Test series in Sri Lanka.
How can India still reach the ICC WTC Final 2025?
To remain alive in the ICC WTC Final 2025 race, India must win the Sydney Test and hope Australia lose by at least 1-0 in Sri Lanka. India can’t afford a draw in Sydney, or else they will be out of the race.
If the Australia vs Sri Lanka series is drawn 0-0, then both India and Australia will end with the same PCT, but India will go through with more series wins in this cycle. However, the chances of a 0-0 series result in Sri Lanka are almost impossible given the pitches in Galle are spin-friendly and result-oriented.
How can Australia reach the ICC WTC Final 2025?
For Australia, if they win in Sydney, they will qualify for the ICC WTC Final, regardless of their result in Sri Lanka. If the Sydney Test is drawn, then Sri Lanka will remain alive, as they can then qualify with a 2-0 win over Australia. If Australia lose in Sydney, then they would need at least one win in Sri Lanka.
How can Sri Lanka still reach the ICC WTC Final 2025?
Sri Lanka’s only route to reaching the ICC WTC Final 2025 is to hope for the Sydney Test to end in a draw and then beat Australia 2-0.
Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for Live Updates – Facebook & Instagram.
