NZ beat SL: Decoding the final World Test Championship table
The recently-concluded second and final Test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka was the final bilateral match of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. The Kiwis clinched the contest by an innings and 58 runs, sealing the series 2-0. SL and NZ finish the table at the fifth and sixth spot, respectively. Here we decode the final WTC standings.
How did the NZ vs SL match pan out?
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bowl at Wellington's Basin Reserve. Kane Williamson (215) and Henry Nicholls (200*) helped NZ declare at 580/4. In reply, SL were folded for a paltry 164 and were asked to follow on. They put up a better show in their second outing and posted 358. Dimuth Karunaratne (89 and 51) slammed fifties in both innings.
SL failed to make most of their chances
The Lankans, who were third in the table at the start of the series, needed a 2-0 triumph to keep their outside chances of making it to the final alive. However, they lost both games and slipped down to the fifth spot. With five wins, six defeats and a drawn affair, Sri Lanka finish the cycle with a PCT of 44.44.
India, Australia to meet in the final
SL's two-wicket defeat in the first Test confirmed an Australia vs India WTC final. Besides the two finalists, South Africa (55.56 %) and England (46.97 %) are the other two sides who finished higher than the Lankans. Meanwhile, NZ (38.46), with a win in the second Test, displaced Pakistan (38.1) at sixth. The Kiwis boast four wins, six defeats, and three draws.
Australia finish at the top
Australia required just a draw in the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar series to seal their WTC final spot. A nine-wicket victory in the third Test confirmed their berth. They finish the cycle with 11 wins, five draws, and three defeats. With a PCT of 66.67 %, they finish at the top of the table. Meanwhile, they lost the four-match series by 2-1 against India.
Second final for India
Team India claimed 10 victories, five defeats, and three draws in the 2021-23 cycle. With a PCT of 58.8 %, they finish on the second place. Notably, India also qualified for the final in the inaugural WTC cycle. They, however, suffered an eight-wicket defeat against New Zealand in the summit clash. The team would be raring to make amends this time around.
Oval to host the WTC 2021-23 final
The International Cricket Council (ICC) earlier confirmed that the 2021-23 WTC final will take place at the Oval, London, from June 7-11. The venue will also play host to the 2023-25 final in June 2025. The venue has previously hosted the finals of the 2004 and the 2017 editions of the ICC Men's Champions Trophy.
