How Team India left Pakistan on thin ice in race for WTC final after win vs BAN | Cricket

Bangladesh started right from where they left off on Day 3 in Dhaka as Mehidy Hasan Miraz completed a sensational five-wicket haul by sending back a well-set Axar Patel and the dangerous Rishabh Pant. India were left completely on the backfoot as they went seven down for just 74 runs. A little far across towards the east, the Babar Azam-led Pakistan side, who were keeping a close eye on the proceedings of the Mirpur Test, were getting their celebrations ready. But Shreyas Iyer and R Ashwin had other plans. They put on a counterpunching partnership, leaving Bangladesh absolutely clueless as India eventually scripted a three-wicket win. With the win in Mirpur, which handed India a clean sweep over Bangladesh, Pakistan were left on thin ice in their race for a place in the World Test Championship final.

Pakistan had an easy chance to make the WTC final when they began their series against England at home earlier this month. But a humiliating whitewash, a first of its kind on home soil, left Pakistan with 38.89% PCT.

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Pakistan now have a two-match home series coming up against New Zealand and if they can manage to blank the Kane Williamson-led side, they would end their 2021/23 WTC cycle with 47.62%, which can still be enough for them to finish second, ahead of India.

However, the unbeaten 71-run stand between Iyer and Ashwin for the eighth wicket, which is India’s second-highest ever in fourth innings of a Test match, did not just consolidate their chances of making the WTC final, they also toughened matters for Pakistan.

Besides winning the series against New Zealand, Pakistan would be hoping for India, still in the second place with a PCT of 58.93%, to suffer a shock defeat at home against in the Border-Gavaskar series next month. The 0-4 result would leave India with PCT of 45.83%. Pakistan also need Australia cleansweep South Africa in their ongoing series, New Zealand to defeat Sri Lanka in both of their Test matches in March and West Indies to down the Proteas in one of their two Tests and draw the other.