Team India suffered a 3-1 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 in Australia. After losing the fifth and final Test match of the series at the Syndey Cricket Ground, India’s hopes of qualifying for the WTC 2025 final ended. It was always going to be tough for India in the BGT given that they were whitewashed 3-0 at home against New Zealand in the lead-up to the tour of Australia.
However, before the start of the Sydney Test, India still had their chance. If India went on to win the fifth Test and made it 2-2, they would have required Sri Lanka to win the two-match Test series at home against Australia to qualify for the WTC final. However, after the Syndey win, Australia have qualified for the final of the WTC 2023-25 and will play against South Africa.
Australia have qualified for the WTC 2025 Final even if Sri Lanka go on to beat them 2-0
However, Sri Lanka still has a chance to qualify for the WTC final. Australia have a points percentage of 63.73 and hence Pakistan, West Indies, or Sri Lanka can’t surpass them by any means. If Sri Lanka manages to beat Australia 2-0, then Australia will have a points percentage of 57.02 and Sri Lanka will be at 53.85. So, they can’t still displace Australia.
However, if Sri Lanka manages to win the series 2-0 and Australia suffers an eight-point penalty across the two Tests on account of a slow overrate, then Lanka can qualify for the final. It won’t be realistically possible as the wicket in Galle will be a spinning track and Australia will bowl their maximum overs with spinners.
This will be the second WTC final for the Aussies. They are the defending champions after having beaten India in the WTC 2023 final. Meanwhile, India have not qualified for the final for the first time after having qualified for both finals in the last two editions. They had lost the WTC 2021 Final to New Zealand the 2023 one to Australia.
