How can India still qualify for ICC WTC 2023-25 final after losing MCG test against Australia?

Australia defeated India by 184 runs at the MCG.

After going down in the first test of the series in Perth by 295 runs, Australia have emphatically turned the tide around in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25.

They will now head to Sydney for the last test of the series with an unassailable lead of 2-1 and with one step closer to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final, where South Africa have already booked their place with a win over Pakistan in Centurion.

Australia won in Adelaide by 10 wickets and remained on the front foot throughout the Brisbane test before it ended in a draw due to significant amount of time and overs being lost to rain.

In Melbourne, it was a thrilling contest that ended with 12.5 overs left in the match. Australia remained ahead throughout the test match bar a brief period on day 4 when India’s bowlers rammed the hosts’ first six wickets for 91 runs.

But a terrific rearguard from Marnus Labuschagne and the lower-order put Australia in a pole position to force a victory on day 5.

After setting up a target of 340 runs, Australia picked up three Indian wickets for only 33 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant then fought valiantly in a wicketless second session. But, after Pant threw away his wicket at the start of the third session, India collapsed, going from 121/3 to 155 all-out, and lost by 184 runs.

This loss at the MCG pushed down India’s PCT to 52.78 and propelled Australia’s to 61.46. Australia are second in the ICC WTC 2023-25 standings, followed by India.

India only have one more test match left in this cycle while Australia will play a two-test series in Sri Lanka after the Sydney test.

How can India still qualify for ICC WTC 2023-25 final after losing MCG test against Australia?

For India to qualify for the ICC WTC 2023-25 final, India need to win the fifth test against Australia in Sydney and then hope that Sri Lanka beat Australia by at least a margin of 1-0 in the two-test series at home.

India can’t afford to even draw the Sydney test. A draw in Sydney would mean India end with PCT of 51.75%, which won’t be enough for them to reach the ICC WTC 2023-25 final even if Australia lose 2-0 in Sri Lanka.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.