World Test Championship points table update: India maintains 2nd spot after series win v Bangladesh; Final qualification scenarios

WTC points table latest update: India beat Bangladesh by three wickets to maintain its second spot in the ICC World Test Championship standings on Sunday.

Shreyas Iyer and Ravichandran Ashwin helped India chase down a tricky 145-run target with their unbeaten stand for the eighth wicket in Mirpur. | Photo Credit: AFP

India retained its second spot in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) points table after its thrilling three-wicket win over Bangladesh in the second Test in Mirpur on Sunday.

An unbeaten 71-run partnership between Shreyas Iyer (29*) and Ravichandran Ashwin (42*) for the eighth wicket helped India chase down a tricky 145-run total.

With the 2-0 series win, India bettered its points percentage (PCT) to 58.92, ahead of South Africa (55.76) and Sri Lanka (54.55) in the WTC 2021-23 cycle that ends in March 2023. Australia leads the standings with its supreme PCT of 76.92.

India’s chances will still heavily revolve around the result of the ongoing Australia-South Africa three-match Test series and the remainder of South Africa’s individual campaign. Australia, which recently beat West Indies 2-0 and South Africa in the first Test at home, is all but through to the final.

India has four Tests remaining - against Australia at home from February. South Africa, which is currently second on the standings, also has four Tests remaining - two away against Australia and two at home against West Indies.

The second spot in the final is most likely a shootout between India and South Africa - both requiring at least three wins in its remaining matches to remain in the hunt. Here is a look at the qualification scenarios

WTC FINAL QUALIFICATION SCENARIOS FOR INDIA AND SOUTH AFRICA

• If India beats Australia 4-0 - India finishes with PCT of 68.05. South Africa cannot qualify even if it wins all four of its remaining matches, finishing at a PCT of 66.66.
• If India beats Australia 3-0 - India finishes with PCT of 64.35. South Africa can only qualify with four wins in its remaining four matches, with a PCT of 66.66.
• If India beats Australia 3-1 - India finishes with a PCT of 62.5. South Africa can only qualify with four wins in its remaining four matches, with a PCT of 66.66.

CAN ENGLAND, PAKISTAN, SRI LANKA, NEW ZEALAND AND WEST INDIES STILL QUALIFY FOR WTC FINAL?

• England has finished its WTC 2021-23 campaign with a PCT of 46.97 after 21 Tests. It is mathematically out of the race for the WTC final.
• Pakistan can finish at best with a PCT of 47.61 with wins in its remaining two Tests against New Zealand.
• Sri Lanka has the best chance to pip India and South Africa, should they suffer slip-ups in their remaining games. Sri Lanka can finish at a PCT of 61.11 with wins in its remaining two Tests against New Zealand.
• New Zealand can only finish at a best PCT of 50 with wins in its remaining four matches.
• West Indies can finish at a PCT of 50 with wins in its remaining two Tests against South Africa.