SYDNEY: Even if England manage to defeat India in the fourth and final Test, Australia might not qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
If England wins the last Test against India, then Australia were to qualify for the WTC final. But, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is now looking to bring forward Cricket South Africa‘s (CSA) formal complaint against Cricket Australia (CA) should the latter qualify for the WTC final, reported Sydney Morning Herald.
Earlier this year, Australia postponed its three Tests tour of South Africa due to the Covid-19 pandemic and as a result, CSA lodged a formal complaint with the ICC, seeking financial compensation and deduction in WTC points for Australia.
As per a report in Sydney Morning Herald, if the ICC decides to deduct points from Australia then the side would be eliminated from the WTC even if England was to win the final Test against India. Cricket Australia has been given the time until the end of this week to meet the deadline set by the ICC to inform whether the matter can be resolved through good faith negotiations.
If that is not the case, then the matter would be transferred from the dispute committee of the ICC and it would be given to an independent panel and they would be deciding whether Cricket Australia was within its right to postpone the series in South Africa.
The independent panel may also decide to award full 120 points for the postponed three Tests to South Africa and if this happens, it would ensure that Australia finishes below India even if Virat Kohli‘s team is beaten by England in the fourth and final Test.
On the other hand, the panel may also decide to give CSA and Cricket Australia the opportunity to find an alternative date for the series before the current FTP finishes in April 2023.