CRICKET
Ashwin helps India beat Bangladesh, bag 2nd place in WTC table
India beat Bangladesh by three wickets in the low-scoring second test to complete a 2-0 series sweep in Mirpur.
Chasing 145 for victory on a turning track, India overcame a batting collapse to reach the target in the first session on a penultimate day at Mirpur’s Shere Bangla National Stadium.
Ravichandran Ashwin top-scored for India with an unbeaten 42, while off-spinner Mehidy Hasan (5-63) was the pick of the Bangladesh bowlers.
India 314 (Pant 93, Iyer 87, Taijul 4-74, Shakib 4-79) and 145 for 7 (Ashwin 42*, Axar 34, Mehidy 5-63) beat Bangladesh 227 (Mominul 84, Umesh 4-25, Ashwin 4-71) and 231 (Litton 73, Zakir 51, Axar 3-68) by seven wickets
With the win, India boosted their chances of reaching the World Test Championship final, which will be played next year.
The updated World Test Championship points table:
Australia, ahead of their Boxing-Day Test against South Africa, sit top of the table with a win percentage of 76.92.
The Pat Cummins-led side has played 13 games so far, winning nine of them.
India also retain the second spot, following their series win over Bangladesh. They have a win percentage of 58.93.
India replaced South Africa from the second position on the points table courtesy of two consecutive wins against Bangladesh.
Australia remains on top of the table after they recently whitewashed West Indies in a two-match Test series.
They also won the first Test match against South Africa at home.
South Africa now moved down to the third spot with Sri Lanka occupying the fourth position on the table.
| POS | Team | W | L | D | PCT (%) | PTS | SER | PEN |
| 1 | Australia | 9 | 1 | 3 | 76.92 | 120 | 5 | 0 |
| 2 | India | 8 | 4 | 2 | 58.93 | 99 | 5 | -5 |
| 3 | South Africa | 6 | 5 | 0 | 54.55 | 72 | 5 | 0 |
| 4 | Sri Lanka | 5 | 4 | 1 | 53.33 | 64 | 5 | 0 |
| 5 | England | 10 | 8 | 4 | 46.97 | 124 | 6 | -12 |
| 6 | West Indies | 4 | 5 | 2 | 40.91 | 54 | 5 | -2 |
| 7 | Pakistan | 4 | 6 | 2 | 38.89 | 56 | 5 | 0 |
| 8 | New Zealand | 2 | 6 | 1 | 25.93 | 28 | 4 | 0 |
| 9 | Bangladesh | 1 | 10 | 1 | 11.11 | 16 | 6 | 0 |
South Africa have a win percentage of 54.55.
Sri Lanka are fourth with a win percentage of 53.33.
England are fifth in the table after clean sweeping Pakistan 3-0. The Ben Stokes-led side has a win percentage of 46.97.
With a win percentage of 40.91, West Indies are behind England on sixth.
Pakistan and New Zealand, who will be squaring off in a two-match Test series, starting from December 26, are seventh and eighth with win percentages of 38.89 and 25.93, respectively.
Bangladesh remain bottom due to a poor win percentage of 11.11.
India is scheduled to play a four-match Test series against Australia in February-March.
The men in Blue can afford to lose only one game against Australia if they want to make it to the final of the World Test Championship.