WTC 2023-25: South Africa Become First Team To Secure Final Berth, Here Are Qualification Scenarios For India, Australia

WTC 2023-25: With South Africa becoming the first team to qualify for the World Test Championship final, here's what India and Australia need to do to grab the last available spot.

WTC 2023-25: Australia and India are ranked second and third respectively in the current WTC cycle points table.

Source : X/ @CricketAus

South Africa secured their spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final by snatching a dramatic two-wicket victory over Pakistan in the first Test at Centurion and scripted history as they made it to the final of the ICC event for the first time. The Proteas also became the first team to reach the WTC final in the current cycle.

Chasing a modest target of 148, the hosts found themselves in deep trouble at 99/8 before Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen's unbeaten 51-run partnership guided them to a thrilling win. With this triumph, South Africa clinched their place in the WTC final, leaving just one spot remaining for other teams to contest.

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South Africa comfortably lead the WTC standings with seven wins in 11 matches and a points percentage (PCT) of 66.67%. This leaves Australia, India and Sri Lanka in contention for the remaining spot in the final. 

Updated WTC 2023-25 Points Table

Pos	Team	Matches	Won	Lost	Drawn	NR	Points	PCT
1	South Africa	11	7	3	1	0	88	66.67%
2	Australia	15	9	4	2	0	106	58.89%
3	India	17	9	6	2	0	114	55.88%
4	New Zealand	14	7	7	0	0	81	48.21%
5	Sri Lanka	11	5	6	0	0	60	45.45%
6	England	22	11	10	1	0	114	43.18%
7	Bangladesh	12	4	8	0	0	45	31.25%
8	Pakistan	11	4	7	0	0	40	30.30%
9	West Indies	11	2	7	2	0	32	24.24%

How Can India, Australia Reach WTC 2023-25 Final

India, currently third with nine wins from 17 matches and a PCT of 55.88, must win the final two Tests of the ongoing series against Australia to secure their place without relying on other results. Australia, on the other hand, are placed second in the WTC points table with the PCT of 58.89%, having wone nine out of the 15 Tests.

If India draw the ongoing IND vs AUS Boxing Day Test at Melbourne and win the next in Sydney, they will end with a PCT of 57.017. In that scenario, Rohit Sharma and his team would need Australia to draw at least one match in their series against Sri Lanka, which would leave Australia at 55.26%, paving the way for India’s qualification to the WTC final.

For Australia, drawing both remaining matches, in Melbourne and then in Sydney against India, would require them to secure at least one win in their series against Sri Lanka to qualify for the WTC final. However, if Australia win both remaining Tests against India, they will directly secure their spot in the final. Alternatively, winning one match and drawing the other against India would mean that even two draws against Sri Lanka would be enough for their qualification.