Pakistan’s chances of qualifying for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final took a major blow on Sunday (August 25) after they suffered an embarrassing 10-wicket defeat against Bangladesh in the first of the two-match series.
It is Bangladesh’s first ever defeat in a Test match. Bangladesh’s first innings came to an end on the fourth day of play and the first match of the series looked destined to end in a draw. The home team had nine wickets in their hands when they began the match with the bat on the fifth day.
However, Bangladesh bowlers turned the match on its head by taking 5 wickets in the first session of the day. The hosts were eventually bowled out for just 146 runs, giving Bangladesh a target of 30 runs.
In reply, the tourists chased down the total in less than 7 overs without losing a wicket. Earlier in the game, the Shan Masood-led side declared their first innings at 448/6 before Bangladesh scored 565.
Can Pakistan still qualify for WTC finals?
Although Pakistan’s chances of reaching the final of the World Tennis Championships for the first time have taken a major blow following the defeat against Bangladesh, they are still alive in the competition. The Shan Masood-led team could still qualify for the final, although their fate is no longer in their hands.
After one more Test against Bangladesh, Shan Masood’s team will host England and West Indies.
Next up is a demanding two-match Test series in South Africa. If they manage to win all their remaining matches, they will end their WTC campaign with a winning percentage of 70.24, which would be enough to qualify for the WTC final.
With table-toppers India and Australia set to play a five-Test series against each other, a win percentage of 70.24 is likely to be more than enough to book a spot in the WTC final. However, for that to happen, Shan Masood’s men will need to win all their remaining matches.
Even a defeat would be enough to end their slim hopes of reaching the final of the World Tennis Championships. Pakistan currently sit eighth in the nine-team competition with a winning percentage of 30.56.
Shan Masood and Co will also have to rely on other results to secure a place in the WTC final. They will not be able to overtake India if the latter wins eight of their remaining ten Test matches. On the other hand, Australia will finish above Pakistan if they manage to win six of their remaining seven Test matches, even if Pakistan wins all of its remaining matches.