Cricket Australia on Tuesday postponed the scheduled three-match Test series in South Africa owing to the second wave of coronavirus in the Rainbow Nation. The decision has made significant changes to the qualification scenario for the inaugural edition of the ICC World Test Championship final, slated to be played at Lord's starting June 18.
With Australia having no more World Test Championship fixtures to play, they will end their campaign with a PCT (points won per points contested) of 69.17, although Cricket Australia might look to rearrange tour if conditions improve in South Africa. This implies that second-placed New Zealand, who have a PCT of 70 and have completed their share of matches in the WTC campaign, become the first team to qualify for the final.
The remaining berth in the final will now be decided following the impending four-match Test series between India and England which begins from February 5 onwards in Chennai.
India, the outright favourites in the competition, will qualify for the summit clash if they can beat Joe Root's men by at least 2-1 or 2-0. For England to qualify, they will need to beat India by 3-0, 3-1, or 4-0.
Hope is still not lost for the Aussies, who can only pray for a drawn contest in the India-England series, an England victory by margins of 1-0, 2-0 or 2-1, or India's win by a margin of just 1-0.
Unfortunately for Australia, had they not been penalised four points for slow over-rate during the series against India at the MCG, they would have been placed second in the table although with level PCT of 70, but would qualify for the final by virtue of a stronger RPWR (runs per wicket ratio).
