On Day 3 at the Holkar Stadium, Indore, Australia beat India by nine wickets in the third Test. Travis Head’s counter-attacking knock of 49 off 53 helped the Kangaroos chase down the target of 76. Australia’s win qualified them for the WTC Final, with 11 wins in the 2021-23 cycle.
From Day 1 Australia dominated the match, bundling India out for just 109 inside 34 overs in the first innings. Usman Khawaja’s brilliant 60-run knock helped Australia gain a healthy lead of 88 runs in the first innings.
Despite being behind by 88 runs, India needed to perform better in the second innings to set a challenging target for Australia. However, Nathan Lyon‘s outstanding spell of 8/64 brought India’s batting down to its knees. The hosts managed to get just 163 in their second innings.
India’s loss in the third Test has put their WTC final qualification in jeopardy. Despite having 10 wins, they are now in second place on the points table with a points percentage of 60.29. To secure their spot in the final, India must win the ongoing Test series against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
WTC Final scenario for Sri Lanka
If India fails to win, their fate will rest in the hands of Sri Lanka, who are currently in third place on the points table with a points percentage of 53.33. Sri Lanka will play a two-match away series against New Zealand starting on March 9. They must win both Tests to secure their place in the WTC final at the Oval in London.
In the event that India loses the fourth Test against Australia, Sri Lanka will take over the second spot with a points percentage of 61.11 after winning both Tests against the Kiwis. This would surpass India’s current points percentage of 60.29.
Sri Lanka’s chances of qualifying for the WTC Final will be dashed even with a draw in either of the two Tests. Winning one and drawing the other Test against the Kiwis would give them a points percentage of 55.55, which is not enough to secure a place in the final. Therefore, Sri Lanka must win both of their remaining matches to stay in contention, or they will be eliminated. India will qualify for the WTC Final if Sri Lanka loses.
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