WTC Final 2023: India Qualify For 2nd World Test Championship Final After New Zealand Beat Sri Lanka in THRILLER

Ahmedabad: India has made it to the final of the World Test Championship final after New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by two wickets on Monday at Christchurch. 

Earlier, With rain playing spoilsport during the opening Test between New Zealand-Sri Lanka, India’s chances of making the World Test Championship for the second consecutive time have brightened. India does need a win against Australia to make it through, but even if the New Zealand versus Sri Lanka game ends in a draw – India goes through. And by the looks of it, the Test match in Christchurch looks poised for a draw. Sri Lanka still needs eight wickets to win with a little over a session left. It looks highly improbable that would happen.

Meanwhile, at Ahmedabad, India needs nine wickets to win the game. That too looks unlikely given the pitch is still good for batting. While India hopes for a miracle on Day 5 at Ahmedabad, Australia would look to survive 90 overs on the last day of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Resuming the penultimate day on 289 for three, India rode on Kohli’s first Test century in more than three years to get past the Australian total in the final session. Kohli, who was overnight 59, ran out of partners and got out for 186 in 364 balls (15×4) to give India a 91-run first innings lead. Injured Shreyas Iyer did come out to bat. Axar Patel played a counter-attacking 79 from 113 balls (5×4, 4×6) in a 162-run partnership with Kohli. In reply, Australia were 3/0 when stumps were drawn.

Brief Scores: Australia 480 & 3/0; India 571 all out (Virat Kohli 186, Shubman Gill 128, Axar Patel 79; Todd Murphy 3/113, Nathan Lyon 3/151). Match to continue