SL vs IND: Can India still reach WTC final after draw in Colombo?

Brief results: India (503/9d) draw Sri Lanka (290, 429/9d f/o). Sonal Dinusha (103,133*).

Sonal Dinusha’s unbeaten 133 did more than save Sri Lanka from a 0-2 series defeat in Colombo. This denied India the result they desperately needed to keep their World Test Championship campaign on track.

Declaring at 503/9, India bowled out Sri Lanka for 290 to force a follow-on, leaving the Test firmly in control. They took a 213-run lead in the first innings and had every reason to believe they would get the job done on day five. But Dinusha refused to give up and showed remarkable patience as the Indian bowlers kept finding a way through. By the time the players shook hands, Sri Lanka had pulled off a memorable escape and India had to settle for a 1-0 series win.

India could take away a lot from the tour, especially after their emphatic 165-run victory in Galle. Still, the Colombo result leaves them wondering what could have been. Four points prevailed for a draw; a win would make it 12 and give their WTC campaign a much healthier look.

SL vs IND 2nd Test Day 5: Highlights

Instead, India remains fifth in the ranking with a PCT of 51.51%. If they win, they would climb to 63.33% and move above Bangladesh into fourth place. Therefore, the result in Colombo is unpleasant for India. They won the series, which is undoubtedly the top prize in Sri Lanka, but also missed an opportunity to improve their position in the competition that ultimately decides whether they get another shot at the WTC title.

With seven Tests left to play in the 2025-27 cycle, India are far from out of the race. They simply cannot afford too many more days like the one they had in Colombo.

WTC TABLE AFTER THE COLOMBO TEST

1. Australia: 10 Tests, 8 wins, 2 losses – 96 points, 80.00% PCT

2. South Africa: 4 Tests, 3 wins, 1 defeat – 36 points, 75.00% PCT

3. New Zealand: 6 Tests, 4 wins, 1 loss, 1 draw – 52 points, 72.22% PCT

4. Bangladesh: 6 Tests, 3 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw – 40 points, 55.56% PCT

5. India: 11 Tests, 5 wins, 4 losses, 2 draws – 68 points, 51.51% PCT

6. Sri Lanka: 6 Tests, 1 Win, 2 Losses, 3 Draws – 24 points, 33.33% PCT

7. England: 14 Tests, W5, L8, D1 – 50pts, 29.76% PCT

8. West Indies: 12 Tests, 2 wins, 8 losses, 2 draws – 30 points, 20.83% PCT

9. Pakistan: 7 Tests, 2 wins, 5 losses – 16 points, 19.05% PCT

INDIA MISSED OPPORTUNITY

The frustration for India goes beyond missing out on a Test they have dominated for a long time. In a tight WTC qualifying race, the 12 points they let slip in Colombo could prove costly.

A win would take India’s PCT to 63.33% and move them above Bangladesh to fourth place. Instead, they had to settle for four points for a draw to finish fifth.

Dinusha’s unbeaten 133 turned what looked like an outright Indian victory into a battle of patience. Sri Lanka’s lower order played their part but Dinusha was the man who gave the hosts the belief that they could survive.

India will now have to make up lost ground elsewhere with seven Tests remaining in the cycle.

THE WAY FORWARD TO THE WTC FINALS

AUSTRALIA

Series remaining: South Africa (3 Tests, away); New Zealand (4 Tests, home); India (5 Tests, away)

The best placed team of the event is Australia, who sit at the top of the table with a PCT of 80% after eight wins and two losses. The loss to Bangladesh in Darwin was a setback but didn’t hurt their standing much.

They have 12 Tests remaining, eight of which come away from home in South Africa and India. Six wins and a draw from those matches would put Australia over 65%, while seven wins and a draw would take them close to 70%.

Given the margins seen in recent WTC cycles, this should put Australia in an extremely strong position to finish in the top two.

SOUTH AFRICA

Remaining series: Australia (3 Tests, home); Bangladesh (2 Tests, home); England (3 Tests, home); Sri Lanka (2 Tests, away)

South Africa have had a great start to the cycle, winning three of the four Tests so far. Their remaining schedule is heavily focused on domestic cricket, with eight of their 10 remaining Tests to be played in South Africa.

This gives them an important advantage, although the quality of the opposition will make the run-in difficult. Six of those home Tests are against Australia and England, both of whom have enjoyed success in South Africa in recent years.

Six wins and a draw from their remaining 10 Tests would take South Africa to 66.67%, while seven wins would take them above 70%. Any figure would give them a great chance to secure a place in the finals.

NEW ZEALAND

Series remaining: India (2 Tests, home); Pakistan (2 Tests, away); Australia (4 Tests, away); Sri Lanka (2 Tests, home)

New Zealand have had a steady start to the cycle having won the home series against the West Indies and the away series in England. They are currently third with a PCT of 72.22%.

However, their remaining schedule is a tough one with six of their 10 Tests coming away from home. Two home series remain against India and Sri Lanka, neither of whom have won a Test series in New Zealand in 15 years.

Wins in those four home Tests and adding two wins from six away matches would give New Zealand nearly 65%. Seven winning runs from their remaining 10 Tests would take them to 70.83% and put them in an excellent position to qualify.

BANGLADESH

Series remaining: South Africa (2 Tests, away); West Indies (2 Tests, home); England (2 Tests, home)

Bangladesh enjoy their best position in any WTC cycle, sitting fourth ahead of India, England and Sri Lanka.

Four of their six remaining Tests are at home, giving them a valuable opportunity to build on their current PCT of 55.56%. They will need to make the most of these matches, especially against the West Indies and England, if they want to stay in contention.

Bangladesh also have the fewest Tests left among the leading contenders. This makes every result particularly important. Four wins and two draws would put them at 66.67%, while four wins and two losses would leave them at 61.11%.

INDIA

Series remaining: New Zealand (2 Tests, away); Australia (5 Tests, home)

A drawn Test in Colombo means India finished the tour of Sri Lanka with 16 points instead of the 24 available from the two-match series. They remain fifth with a PCT of 51.52%, giving them plenty of room to call.

India have seven Tests left, two in New Zealand and five at home against Australia. Winning all seven would put them at 70.37%, while six wins and one loss would put them closer to 65%.

The Australian series could therefore be crucial. India would have a chance to take a significant number of points off the table leaders while also limiting Australia’s own gains.

However, there is little room for error. A 0-2 defeat in New Zealand followed by a 5-0 series win against Australia would leave India at 59.26%, a position that would likely require a few more results to go their way.

SRI LANKA

Series remaining: Pakistan (2 Tests, away); New Zealand (2 Tests, away); South Africa (2 Tests, home)

While Sri Lanka’s hard-fought draw in the SSC lifted spirits, it did little to improve their precarious position in the WTC standings.

They have collected just four points from the 24 points available in the two Test series against India and have only one home series left from the three remaining matches.

Even six wins from their last six Tests would take Sri Lanka to just 66.67%. This would allow them to get favorable results elsewhere to have a real chance of reaching the final.

ENGLAND, PAKISTAN AND WEST INDIES

England, Pakistan and West Indies have relatively slim chances of finishing in the top two.

Even perfect finishes would only get 53.17% for England, 56.41% for Pakistan and 32.14% for West Indies from here. Those numbers are unlikely to be enough, meaning their qualification hopes are heavily dependent on results elsewhere as well as near-perfect runs of their own.

– The end

Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

27 Aug 2026 17:32 IST