World Test Championship: Team India Rises In WTC Points Table After 188-Run Win In IND vs BAN 1st Test

WTC Points Table: India have increased their chances of playing in the final of the World Test Championship in 2023 with a dominant 188-run win against Bangladesh in Chattogram on Sunday. 

Even though Bangladesh showed fabulous grit in the 2nd innings, courtesy of debutant Zakir Hasan's maiden ton and Shakib Al Hasan's quick 84, the hosts' lost all their remaining 4 wickets in the first 50 minutes of Day 4 as India took 1-0 lead in the 2-match Test series. 

Spinners did the bulk of the damage as Axar Patel picked up 4 wickets and Kuldeep Yadav, picked up 3 wickets after completing a 5-for in the first innings. India climbed in the WTC Points Table courtesy of this win. 

India attained 12 valuable points and have a PCT of 55.77% as they eye a top-two finish at the end of this World Test Championship cycle. India overtook Sri Lanka to move to the 3rd spot on the WTC Points Table, and after Australia defeated South Africa in the 1st Test, India moved to the number 2 spot.

However, the top two teams are playing a 3-match Test series against each other currently which is a piece of good news for team India. India will play one more Test match in Bangladesh and then will host Australia for a 4-match series in Februrary-March next year. 

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The second IND vs BAN Test will start on December 22nd in Mirpur, where the regular captain Rohit Sharma will return to lead the side and attain another crucial win. If India finishes the series 2-0 and then wins 3 out of 4 Tests against Australia, they will confirm their second consecutive appearance in the WTC Finals.