Four teams- Australia, India, South Africa and Sri Lanka in race for the two spots in the final.
New Zealand won the inaugural edition of WTC 2021 by defeating India in the final at Southampton by eight wickets.
Currently, India and Australia are the two top contenders for the qualification of the final. Australia leads the nine-team points table for the ongoing cycle with a healthy points percentage of 75.56, followed by India at 58.93.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka (53.33%) and South Africa (48.72%) too, who take the third and fourth positions respectively, are in with a chance. Sri Lanka plays two away Tests against New Zealand, while South Africa will host West Indies for two Tests in the ongoing cycle.
However, the upcoming India vs Australia four-Test series which commences in Nagpur on February 9 is expected to decide the eventual finalists.
Speaking about the same, Rohit Sharma was quoted by ICC as saying: “Leading Team India out onto the field of play at the World Test Championship Final would be special. We have grown and developed as a team during this competition and to be in with a chance of lifting the Mace at the Oval in June, we know we first need to overcome a tough Australia side.
There have been so many dramatic moments in Test cricket lately, and there are undoubtedly more to come. I am excited by the prospect of booking our place at the Final and hopefully creating history later in the year.”
Australian captain Pat Cummins said: “The prospect of playing in the World Test Championship Final has been a big motivator for us over the last couple of years, more so now having missed out on over rates last time.
To play at a neutral venue like The Oval adds another element for both sides who make the Final. It’s exciting and has been a goal of ours for a while now. We are confident we can secure a place while here in India after a really strong 12 months. The Final would be a great reward for the players and staff who have done so well."
Remaining ICC World Test Championship Fixtures:
India v Australia series
India v Australia (1st Test) – Nagpur, India, 9-13 February
India v Australia (2nd Test) – Delhi, India, 17-21 February
India v Australia (3rd Test) – Dharamsala, India, 1-5 March
India v Australia (4th Test) – Ahmedabad, India, 9-13 March
South Africa v West Indies series
South Africa v West Indies (1st Test) – Centurion, South Africa, 28 February-4 March
South Africa v West Indies (2nd Test) – Johannesburg, South Africa, 8-12 March
New Zealand v Sri Lanka series
New Zealand v Sri Lanka (1st Test) – Christchurch, New Zealand, 9-13 March
New Zealand v Sri Lanka (2nd Test) – Wellington, New Zealand, 17-21 March
(ICC inputs)