NEW DELHI: Pakistan‘s chances of reaching the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final next year remain alive, though their path is steep and relies heavily on results going their way.
After a historic series defeat to Bangladesh and a subsequent loss in the opening Test against England, Pakistan’s hopes for the WTC final appeared all but over. They had dropped to eighth place in the standings and seemed out of contention.
However, a remarkable turnaround saw Pakistan clinch a 2-1 series win over England at home, pushing them up to seventh in the standings. Though it was a small improvement, their hopes were further reignited by an unexpected development: India’s dominance at home was shattered by a visiting New Zealand side, who secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series. This result shook up the WTC standings and made the race for the final more open.Currently, India and Australia remain in the top two positions in the standings. However, India’s lead has been reduced to just 0.32 PCT, while New Zealand’s strong performance has lifted them to fourth place with a 50.00 PCT. Pakistan, though still in seventh with 33.33 PCT, is now mathematically back in the race.
How can Pakistan qualify for the WTC final?
For Pakistan to qualify for the WTC final, they must win all four of their remaining matches – two away games against South Africa and two against the West Indies at home. Doing so would raise their PCT to 52.38. However, this alone will not be enough.
Pakistan will need other results to go their way, with teams like India, Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and South Africa needing to lose key matches to allow Pakistan to climb into the top two spots.
While Pakistan’s chances of reaching the final remain slim, the series victory over England and the shake-up caused by India’s surprise defeat have ensured that they are still in the conversation. The road ahead is difficult, but Pakistan’s qualification hopes are not over yet.