Page 46 - The Indian EYE 031221

SPORTS MARCH 12, 2021 | The Indian Eye 46

how team india roared into

world test championship final

Virat Kohli’s men beat England in the fourth and final Test now face New Zealand in

the WTC final slated to be played at the Lord’s in London from June 18 to 22

Our Bureau He might not have impressed

Ahmedabad with his batting but Test depu-
ty Ajinkya Rahane was spot on
eam India on Saturday with his low catches. If Axar and
roared into the final of the Ashwin starred with the ball, it
Tinaugural edition of the was a masterclass display of slip
ICC World Test Championship catching by Rahane.
(WTC) following an emphatic It was a no-show from the
3-1 series win over England. English batsmen once again as
Virat Kohli’s men, who de- they looked completely clueless
feated England in the fourth after walking into the middle in
and final Test by an innings and the post-lunch session with the
25 runs at the Narendra Modi score on 6/0.
Stadium, will now face New Dan Lawrence (50) was the
Zealand in the WTC final slat- only player who had some an-
ed to be played from June 18 to swer to the duo of Ashwin and
22, with June 23 as the reserve Indian celebrates a dismissal during the fourth test match between India Axar as none of the other bats-
day at the iconic Lord’s Stadi- and England at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. (BCCI/ANI Photo) men seemed to have the tech-
um in London. India finished as nical acumen to dig in, barring
the number one team with 72.2 skipper Joe Root (30).
percentage points in the WTC But once Ashwin sent back
points table, the factor that de- Root, it was all about delaying
termined the final placings rath- the humiliation for the English
er than total points won, follow- batsmen. Ashwin picking up Jon-
ing a change to the points system ny Bairstow for a golden duck
owing to the Covid-19 disruption. only added to England’s misery.
The Black Caps were the first All-rounder Ben Stokes, who
team to ensure a place in the fi- had scored a gritty half-century
nal with 70 percentage points. in the first innings, came in with a
Australia finished third with 69.2 lot of responsibility on his shoul-
percentage points while England ders, but he could manage just 2
ended with 61.4 percentage before Axar had his number.
points at the fourth position. Earlier, resuming the third
“That victory against En- day on 294/7, India managed to
gland means India finish the pick a substantial 160-run lead
league phase of the inaugural India's Axar Patel and Washington Sundar celebrate their partnership as they scored 365. Rishabh Pant
ICC World Test Championship during the fourth test match between India and England at Narendra Modi (101) and Washington Sundar
with a fine view from the top of Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday. (BCCI/ANI Photo) (96 not out) were the top scorers
the table,” read a tweet on the while Rohit Sharma and Axar
official Twitter handle of the In- pandemic. as the hosts won by an innings made useful contributions of 49
ternational Cricket Council. Criticised by former English and 25 runs. and 43 each.
The Black Caps had qualified cricketers for spinning a web While Ashwin picked his As India booked a place
for the WTC final following the over the England batsmen on a 30th five-wicket haul during the in the final of the World Test
postponement of the Test series rank turner in the third Test of course of the England innings Championship (WTC) against
between South Africa and Aus- the series, Ravichandran Ashwin on Saturday, Axar picked his New Zealand, head coach Ravi
tralia. In November last year, and Axar Patel shut them with a fourth as India stormed into the Shastri said the side did not think
the ICC had confirmed that the top-class display on a regular In- final of the World Test Cham- of the Test championship and
WTC points system would be dian wicket in the fourth Test at pionship after sealing the series took it as one series at a time.
amended due to the COVID-19 the Narendra Modi Stadium on 3-1 on the third day of the Test. Continued on next page... >>

www.TheIndianEYE .com