Updated: December 30, 2020 6:48:46 pm
New Zealand’s victory in the first test against Pakistan has made them serious contenders to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship (WTC), to be played in June 2021 at Lord’s. With a percentage point (PCT) of 0.667, kiwis are now hot on the heels of Australia and India.
What is New Zealand’s current position on the WTC table?
New Zealand is now in third place with 360 absolute points and 0.667 percentage points (66.7%).
The absolute points are the total points obtained in a series of tests. Each series is assigned 120 points. So for a two-round series, which is the minimum requirement, the points obtained per round for a victory are 60. New Zealand and Pakistan are playing a two-round series.
So what is PCT?
PCT is the percentage of points won over the total number of points played. For example, India is playing a four-round series in Australia and the two teams compete for 120 points. For a series of four events, the points assigned per event are 30, 15, and 10 for win, tie, and tie, respectively. The series is tied 1-1 at the moment, meaning that both Australia and India have secured 25 percent of each of the total points on offer.
New Zealand bowler Mitchell Santner celebrates with his teammates after catching Naseem Shah of Pakistan to defeat Pakistan by 101 runs on the final day of the first test of cricket at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, Wednesday, December 30, 2020 (Andrew Cornaga / Photosport via AP)
Why is the PCT so important?
Last month, the Cricket Committee of the International Cricket Council (ICC) headed by Anil Kumble decided to nullify and void canceled matches forced by Covid and determine the WTC league ranking only from the matches played. Under the modified system, the WTC league ranking is determined by the percentage of points earned rather than absolute points, and the top two teams qualify for the final. The current WTC cycle ends on March 31, 2021 followed by the final in June.
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How is India standing at the moment?
India still has the highest absolute points, 390, followed by New Zealand, 360, and Australia, 322. And yet India is second because its PCT, 0.722 (72.2%), is lower than that of Australia, 0.766 (76.6%)).
Simply put, India will play six more rounds in this WTC cycle: two in Australia and four at home against England. Four wins, or three wins and three draws will ensure your qualification for the final.
Why is that?
Because, if New Zealand wins Test 2 against Pakistan and finishes the series with 120 points, they will end their WTC assignments with 420 absolute points from five series played, or a total of 600 points played. His series in Bangladesh was canceled due to the pandemic. So a clean sweep against Pakistan will bring New Zealand’s PCT to 0.700 (70%).
As for India, they have not canceled any series. They will have six series to their credit and 720 points contested. India needs to bring its absolute points to 504 to have a PCT of 0.700 (70%). As they can have only 30 points from each victory (four-round series), four more victories will bring them 510 absolute points, and well beyond New Zealand’s PCT.
New Zealand players celebrate after defeating Pakistan by 101 runs on the last day of the first cricket test at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020. (AP Photo / PTI)
And Australia?
They may allow themselves a 2-2 draw, for example, in the current series to maintain their PCT-based lead. Your PCT in that case will be 0.741. But if they lose the series to India, they will lower the order. The Australians, however, are scheduled to play a three-round series in South Africa and will finish the cycle with five series.
Is the PCT-based system confusing?
If Virat Kohli finds the modified ranking structure “confusing,” fans are likely fighting even harder. Kohli was asked about the structure change ahead of India’s first ODI against Australia. He was not impressed at all.
“It’s definitely surprising because we were told that points are a topic of discussion for the top two teams that qualify in the test world championships and now all of a sudden it has become a percentage of nothing, so it is confusing and hard to understand why, “he said. said.
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