IND vs SL Test: The second Test between India and Sri Lanka has reached a thrilling stage. If Sri Lanka manages to secure a draw in this match, how will it impact India's WTC final equation?
Draw or defeat in Colombo: Will India WTC final dream come to an end?
The Indian team appears to be in trouble in Colombo. Sonal Dinusha has effectively nullified the decision to enforce the follow-on against Sri Lanka. He has scored a half-century in his fourth consecutive innings of the ongoing series against Team India. Once again, he has emerged as a thorn in the side of the Indian team, further heightening concerns regarding the World Test Championship final.
By the end of the fourth day of the second Test, Sri Lanka had lost six wickets; however, on the fifth day, Sonal Dinusha and Keshara Nuwanta frustrated the Indian bowlers significantly. A century partnership between Dinusha and Nuwanta is bringing Sri Lanka very close to securing a draw. Here is an analysis of how the situation regarding the World Test Championship final would be affected if India loses this match or if Sri Lanka manages to force a draw.
Impact on WTC
India currently holds the fifth position in the World Test Championship standings with a PCT of 53.33. If Sri Lanka wins the Colombo Test or the match ends in a draw, there will be no significant impact on Team India's position in the table.
If the match ends in a draw
If the second Test match between India and Sri Lanka ends in a draw, both teams will receive 4 points each. Since team rankings in the World Test Championship are determined by the points percentage (PCT), a draw—even if it doesn't alter India's position on the table—would result in a significant drop in their PCT. In the event of a draw, the PCT would fall from 53.33 to 51.51, which is not a positive sign for Team India.
If India loses
The likelihood of this happening on the fifth day of the Colombo Test is very low, as Sri Lanka is attempting to prolong its innings to steer the match towards a draw. Under these circumstances, an Indian victory or a draw remains the most probable outcome. However, should Team India find itself on the verge of defeat, its PCT would drop to 48.48.
Sonal Dinusha proves to be a headache for the Indian team
Sonal Dinusha has proven to be a major challenge for the Indian team throughout this Test series. He has scored 50 runs or more in four consecutive innings of the series. In the first Test match played at Galle, he scored 100 and 84 runs, respectively. Meanwhile, in the Colombo Test, he scored 103 runs in the first innings and also hit a half-century in the second innings.
