India qualified for the World Test Championship final following New Zealand’s two-wicket win over Sri Lanka in Christchurch. In a dramatic victory, New Zealand pulled off victory on the last ball of their first Test against Sri Lanka in Christchurch.

India will now play the number one rank Test team Australia at The Oval, London from June 7, 2023. This is the second time in a row when India have qualified for the World Test Championship in 2021. New Zealand beat India by eight wickets in the inaugural final in 2021.

New Zealand pulled off a win that didn’t look possible. Kane Williamson helped New Zealand win with an unbeaten 121 and Daryl Mitchell scoring a quick 86-ball 81. The winning run came when the former captain and the injured Neil Wagner ran a bye, Williamson securing the victory by diving full length to get his bat down in the crease before a direct hit broke the stumps.

The result put Sri Lanka out of the running for the WTC final. The result in Christchurch took the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar series in Ahmedabad out of the equation as earlier India had to win the contest to secure the WTC final spot against Australia.

Australia was the first team to secure a WTC final berth after humbling India by nine wickets in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar series at Indore, leaving the hosts praying for a favourable result in the first Test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka.