Indian players celebrate after winning the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai on September 22, 2024. | Photo credit: R. Ragu
The impressive Indian team has strengthened its hold on the top spot in the World Test Championship table. 280 runs win over Bangladesh, Whereas Sri Lanka beats New Zealand in Galle So that they can help in getting a possible place in the final to be held at Lord’s next year.
These two results have changed the race for the final two spots, with Sri Lanka moving ahead of their current rivals to third place.
India’s win in Chennai and 12 World Test Championship points have reaffirmed their position at the top of the table, and their percentage now stands at 71.67%, further increasing their lead over second-placed Australia (62.50%).
Bangladesh, which had reached fourth place after its extraordinary 2-0 win over Pakistan, slipped to sixth (39.29 percentage points) behind Sri Lanka and England after the defeat.
Bangladesh resumed the fourth day at 158/4 chasing India’s target of 515, with skipper Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Shakib Al Hasan at the crease. The duo offered some resistance, however, India’s spin duo Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja took the remaining six wickets for just 40 runs.
Ashwin was awarded the Player of the Match award for his brilliant century in the first innings and taking six wickets in the second innings.
Sri Lanka players celebrate a wicket on Day 5 of the first Test against New Zealand in Galle on September 23, 2024. | Photo Credit: AFP
Having moved to third place in the WTC 25 table after the win in Galle, Sri Lanka have their best chance of challenging the 2023 World Test Championship finalists for a place in the 2025 final.
The 63-run win over the Black Caps in Galle was their fourth victory in eight matches, giving them 50% of possible World Test Championship points, with Dhananjaya de Silva’s men having a best possible percentage of 69.23%.
This figure would be enough to win the title in next year’s final at Lord’s, although the team would need to beat New Zealand again, clean sweep South Africa, and beat Australia 2–0 in a home series early next year.
The Indians still have nine Tests left to seal their fate in this WTC cycle and make it to their third consecutive final of the tournament. They were runners-up in the last two editions behind New Zealand (2021) and Australia (2023).
Published – September 23, 2024 03:54 PM IST