New Zealand close to the World Test Championship final
New Zealand’s recent victory over the West Indies has given them a solid chance of reaching the final of the World Test Cricket Championship (WTC), which will be played in June 2021 at Lord’s.
New Zealand finished the series very close to the top spot in the Test ranking: it is only 0.086 points behind Australia.
New Zealand’s victory in Wellington generated some initial confusion, as the ICC’s prediction tool showed New Zealand at the top for several hours. However, the ICC clarified that Australia holds first place with 116.461 rating points, while New Zealand has 116.375.
Australia could consolidate its leadership if it wins the home series against India. For their part, New Zealand’s two victories over the West Indies gave them 300 WTC points in four series of the current cycle, which ends on March 31, 2021.
If New Zealand repeats the 2-0 result against Pakistan, it will finish with 420 points from five series.
This will leave India needing five wins, or four wins and three draws, in their last eight Test matches (away against Australia and at home against England) to deny New Zealand a place in the WTC final to be played at Lord’s.
Due to the current situation, the ICC had to change the scoring criteria from absolute points to a percentage of points disputed, or in other words, points per series played.
Australia currently leads the WTC table, with 82.2% of the points won. If they manage a 2-2 draw against India, they will still lead the table with a percentage of 74.17%, but if they lose 1-2, their percentage will fall to 70.
If New Zealand wins its two Test matches against Pakistan, it will finish with 84 points per series played or 70% of the points played.
India, which currently has 360 points from four series played, will need to surpass 504 points to surpass New Zealand’s score of 84 points per series or 70% of the points played.
Each of their remaining Test victories will be worth 30 points, and draws will earn them 10 points.
Five wins or four wins and three draws will put them ahead of New Zealand.
As for the rankings, depending on how the India vs. Australia series and the New Zealand vs. Pakistan series go, Australia could consolidate its lead at number 1 or cede ground to New Zealand.
