By Zainab Shafiq 
The World Test Championship (WTC) final race is heating up, with multiple teams vying for a top-two finish. The competition remains fierce, especially after Bangladesh’s historic series win against Pakistan and Sri Lanka’s recent victory over England. The upcoming matches will play a pivotal role in determining which teams make it to the final at Lord’s next year. This blog discusses the WTC final race scenario for all teams. Read till the end to find out.
WTC final race scenario for all teams
India
- Current Position: 1st with 68.52 PCT
- Remaining Matches: 2 vs BAN (Home), 3 vs NZ (Home), 5 vs AUS (Away)
- India are in a strong position, leading the table with a 68.52 PCT. They still have 10 matches left, and a few more victories will ensure their top-two finish. Winning all 10 matches would take them to 85.08 PCT, and even with five wins and a draw, they can comfortably remain above the 60% threshold.
Australia
- Current Position: 2nd with 62.5 PCT
- Remaining Matches: 5 vs IND (Home), 2 vs SL (Away)
- The defending champions, Australia, are in second place. They have a chance to secure a top-two finish by winning at least four of their remaining seven matches. If they win all seven, they’ll finish with a PCT of 76.31, comfortably booking their spot in the final. However, losing their home series against India would put their qualification in jeopardy.
New Zealand
- Current Position: 3rd with 50.0 PCT
- Remaining Matches: 2 vs SL (Away), 3 vs IND (Away), 3 vs ENG (Home)
- New Zealand’s chances depend on how well they perform in subcontinent conditions. They need to win at least five of their remaining eight matches to cross the 60% threshold. Their poor track record in India and Sri Lanka poses a significant challenge, but winning the home series against England could keep their hopes alive.
Bangladesh
- Current Position: 4th with 45.83 PCT
- Remaining Matches: 2 vs IND (Away), 2 vs WI (Away), 2 vs SA (Home)
- Bangladesh’s surprise series win against Pakistan has given them a lifeline in the WTC race. They need to win most of their remaining six matches to stay in contention. A clean sweep against weaker opposition would elevate them to 72.91 PCT, but losing to India could severely hurt their chances.
Sri Lanka
- Current Position: 5th with 42.86 PCT
- Remaining Matches: 2 vs NZ (Home), 2 vs SA (Away), 2 vs AUS (Home)
- Sri Lanka have revived its chances with a recent win over England. To secure a top-two finish, they need to win at least five of their remaining six matches. If they sweep all, they will reach 69.23 PCT.
South Africa
- Current Position: 7th with 38.89 PCT
- Remaining Matches: 2 vs SL (Home), 2 vs PAK (Home), 2 vs BAN (Away)
- South Africa’s destiny remains in their own hands. A clean sweep in their remaining matches could take them to 69.44 PCT. However, dropping any matches could leave them vulnerable and reliant on other teams’ results.
England
- Current Position: 6th with 42.19 PCT
- Remaining Matches: 3 vs PAK (Away), 3 vs NZ (Away)
- England’s path to the final is challenging. They need to win all their remaining matches and hope for other results to go in their favor. Even then, they might require a draw between India and Australia to sneak into the final.
Pakistan
- Current Position: 8th with 19.05 PCT
- Remaining Matches: 3 vs ENG (Home), 2 vs SA (Away), 2 vs WI (Home)
- Pakistan’s chances are slim but still possible mathematically. Winning all their remaining seven matches would take them to 59.52 PCT, but they would still need other results to go in their favor to qualify.
West Indies
- Current Position: 9th with 18.52 PCT
- Remaining Matches: 2 vs BAN (Home), 2 vs PAK (Away)
- West Indies are out of the race. Even if they win all their remaining matches, they can only reach 43.59 PCT, which won’t be enough to qualify for the final.
| Teams | Mat | Won | Lost | Drawn | Points | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 74 | 68.52 |
| Australia | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 90 | 62.5 |
| New Zealand | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 50.0 |
| Bangladesh | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 33 | 45.83 |
| Sri Lanka | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 36 | 42.86 |
| England | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 81 | 42.19 |
| South Africa | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 28 | 38.89 |
| Pakistan | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 19.05 |
| West Indies | 9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 20 | 18.52 |
The race for the WTC final race scenario remains tight with no clear favorites, as each team’s performance in the upcoming fixtures will decide the final standings.
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