WTC Points Table: Australia retain top spot, Pakistan second

WTC Points Table: Australia retain top spot – Despite a first-innings deficit, Pat Cummins-led Australia managed to hold onto the top spot of ICC World Test Championship Points Table. The 1st Test in Rawalpindi ended in a dull draw with batsmen from both teams bossing over bowlers on a batting paradise. Pakistan also retained their second spot. Follow PAK vs AUS Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.

Australia climbed to the top of the table after Sri Lanka suffered a thrashing defeat against India in the first Test in Mohali. Australia with 77.77 percentage points while Pakistan share the second spot with Sri Lanka with 66.66 per cent. India are currently at the fifth spot with 54.16 percentage points. Australia are yet to lose a match.

WTC Points Table: Australia retain top spot despite dull draw in Rawalpindi, Pakistan hold second spot – Check full table

As for the match, Pakistan openers shared an unbeaten 252-run stand on Day 5 with Imam-Ul-Haq slamming twin centuries in the match. For Australia, the top four scored fifties as the match ended in a draw.

All over!

The two teams shake hands as the first #PAKvAUS Test in Rawalpindi ends in a draw 🤝#WTC23 | https://t.co/Ys6nq6wirm pic.twitter.com/Xtwp7uZfey

— ICC (@ICC) March 8, 2022

WTC Points Table: Australia retain top spot despite dull draw in Rawalpindi, Pakistan hold second spot – Check full table

Resuming at 449 for 7, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc aimed to take a first-innings lead. To put pressure on the batters, Pakistan started with Shaheen Afridi. However, Nauman Ali, who had already taken four wickets, dismissed Pat Cummins in his first over of the day, completing his third five-wicket haul.

Shaheen in the very next over trapped Starc in front, ending his innings on 13. After Nathan Lyon was trapped in front of the stumps while sweeping Ali, Pakistan wrapped up Australia’s innings in the first 20 minutes of the day with Nauman bagging his career-best figures of 6-107.

WTC Points Table: Australia retain top spot despite dull draw in Rawalpindi, Pakistan hold second spot – Check full table

With a lead of 17 runs in the first innings, Pakistan openers Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique once again blunted Australia’s attack in the second innings. On a dead Rawalpindi surface, the batters got off to a good start, as the Australian bowlers continued to struggle to take early wickets.

Imam followed up his maiden Test century with yet another hundred in the second innings. Unlike in his earlier innings, he was in an aggressive mood, charging spinner Nathan Lyon and hitting him down the ground on several occasions. Abdullah, who threw away his wicket on 44 in the first innings, looked solid.

With no expectations from the game, Australia decided to rest their regular bowlers and deployed part-time spinners. The batters continued to pile up runs, taking advantage of the part-timers’ weak deliveries to score runs. With no signs of a declaration, Pakistan reached Tea at 191 for 0 with Abdullah just one run short of his maiden century and Imam unbeaten on 89.

WTC Points Table: Australia retain top spot despite dull draw in Rawalpindi, Pakistan hold second spot – Check full table

With the result of the match almost certain, the final session of the day began. Abdullah who was in the driving seat throughout the second session of the day brought up his maiden Test century with a single. In hopes of extracting some positives out of the final day and in search of the first wicket, Australia brought their all-rounder Cameron Green into the attack.

The two teams finally shook hands with Pakistan’s score at 252/0. The action will now move to Karachi with the second Test beginning on March 12.

Cricket