World Test Championship: Pakistan slip to No.7 in points table after 3-0 series loss against England

Karachi: Pakistan’s chances of reaching the final of the next year’s ICC World Test Championship (WTC) took a big hit on Tuesday following their crushing 3-0 series loss against England as they slipped to No.7 in the points table.

On Day 4, Ben Duckett and Ben Stokes made short work of the run chase on Tuesday morning to lead England to a comfortable eight-wicket win in the third and final Test at the National Stadium. Needing only 55 runs, the duo knocked off the required runs in less than 40 minutes to help the visitors complete a historic 3-0 whitewash over Pakistan.

This was the first time Pakistan were whitewashed 3-0 at home and the Babar Azam-led side need a host of results to go their way to have any chance of reaching the WTC final.

With the dominating win, England retained their 5th position while Pakistan slipped to the seventh spot. If Pakistan can win their final two Test matches this period — they host New Zealand in a quick-fire series that commences later this month — they can finish with a win percentage as high as 47.62 per cent.

That could be enough for Pakistan to finish in front of seven other sides and claim second place in the final standings, but the team will need lots of help from a large number of sides if they are to sneak in.

They will require Pat Cummins’ side to continue on their winning ways against South Africa and then next year against India as well as would want Bangladesh to do them a favour and cause a huge upset by defeating India in their ongoing Test series in Mirpur.

Pakistan would also need New Zealand to defeat Sri Lanka in both of their Test matches in March next year. They will require the West Indies to defeat South Africa in one of the two Tests away from home next year and then hope the second match ends as a draw (this would ensure both sides finish lower than Pakistan on the standings).

–IANS