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'Sometimes youve got to learn from opposition': Skipper Gill after draw against SL at Colombo
Stubborn resistance from the tailenders and sweeps from run machine Sonal Dinusha swept away the clean sweep from Team India as both teams had to shake hands following a draw at Colombo. Even though India have won the series 1-0, their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) point percentage has taken a hit and they are placed fifth in the standings ahead of the NZ Tests starting from November 19 onwards.
WTC 2025-27 Scenario: How can Shubman Gill’s Team India reach final after 1-0 series win over Sri Lanka
IND vs SL 2026: Team India were denied a 2-0 whitewash after a heroic effort from Sri Lanka on Day 5 of the 2nd Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground in Colombo on Thursday. The draw in the second Test means that Shubman Gill’s side were only able to win the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka 1-0 and have a very tough road ahead of them if they have to reach the World Test Championships (WTC) 2025-27 final next year.
The Indians have remained in 5th place on the WTC 2025-27 Points Table with both India and Sri Lanka getting 4 points each for the draw. The visiting side now have 68 points from 11 Tests with 5 wins, 4 losses and 2 draws with a PCT of 51.52. slot-chickenroad.org
They are still trailing Bangladesh, who are in 4th place after their 1-1 draw with Australia in a two-match series this month. Bangladesh team have a PCT of 55.56 with 3 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw in 6 matches in this cycle.
A draw in the SL vs IND 2nd Test heats up the WTC standings!
7 Tests to go. Almost every Test is a must-win. Will India make the final? pic.twitter.com/lubAJ4DLjG
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) August 27, 2026
What do Indians need to reach WTC 2025-27 final?
To reach a PCT of minimum 60 per cent, Indians would require another 72 points approximately from their remaining 7 Tests. It means that India would need at least 6 wins and 1 loss to reach a PCT of 65 per cent from remaining 7 games – 2 Tests away from home in New Zealand and 5 Tests at home vs Australia.
If Shubman Gill’s side can win all of their remaining 7 Tests, they will reach a PCT of 70.37 per cent and almost certain to make the final then. Bangladesh, on the other hand, have the fewest Tests remaining – 6 – in the current cycle.
They have a couple of Tests away from home in South Africa and 4 Tests at home against West Indies and England. If they can win 4 Tests with 2 draws, their PCT can improve to 66.67 while with 2 losses and 4 wins, the PCT will be 61.11.
Former champions Australia have the most Tests in the cycle remaining – 12. They will take on South Africa in 3 Tests away from home followed by 4 Tests at home against New Zealand and finally complete the cycle with 5-match series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India.
Pat Cummins-led side can reach more than 65 per cent PCT with 6 wins and 1 draw. With 7 wins and 1 draw, their PCT will rise to 70 per cent.
Defending champions South Africa have 10 Tests remaining in the cycle while 8 of them will be at home against Australia, Bangladesh and England. Their remaining 2 Tests will be away to Sri Lanka. With 6 wins and 1 draw, SA’s PCT will rise to 66.67 and with 7 wins it will be more than 70 per cent.
La Liga: Rodri makes debut as Barcelona win 2-0 over Athletic Club
Barcelona [Spain], August 28 (ANI): Raphinha and Fermin Lopez were the scorers as Barcelona registered their second win of the La Liga 2026-27 season with a 2-0 triumph over Athletic Club.
The Thursday’s clash also saw Spain’s FIFA World Cup-winning star and former Manchester City player Rodri making his debut in club’s iconic striped jersey.
After a goalless half an hour, Raphinha struck in the 37th minute, while Lopez hit the final blow in the 82nd minute.
Rodri, who had missed his side’s 5-0 win over Elche, was on the bench against Athletic and came as a substitute in the second half.
Speaking about Rodri’s debut, manager Hansi Flick said after the match as quoted by ESPN, “Everyone is happy he’s playing for us, playing for Barca."
“He is the perfect player for us, the perfect player for our philosophy, the style we want to play football," he added.
Speaking on his debut, Rodri said, “I am happy to play my first game with Barcelona, happy for the victory, the second in a row for the team. It is important to start gaining rhythm. I felt good with my first minutes."
The match also gave England’s Anthony Gordon his first start with Barcelona, having earlier scored two goals off the bench against Elche last match, and he was extremely popular with the fans on the field.
Flick also expressed how happy he was with the Englishman settling in Barca after a move from Newcastle United and highlighted scope for improvement.
“His speed, his intensity, it’s really good for us, exactly what we want from him," the German coach said.
“Of course he has just arrived, two and a half weeks ago after the World Cup, so also he has potential to go to another level. And we need him on this level," he signed off. (ANI)
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)
Promote Richa Ghosh to No. 3 for fearless approach: Reema Malhotra
[popcorn number="153.84" desc="Richa Ghosh’s strike-rate in the T20 Women’s World Cup last month — the second best for India after all-rounder Deepti Sharma (171.42)" class="Default"]
Though Sri Lanka are the defending Women’s T20 Asia Cup champions, Harmanpreet Kaur-led India are strong contenders to win their fourth title, reckons former India all-rounder Reema Malhotra. The sixth edition of the tournament, to be held in Dubai from August 28 to September 13, begins today.
However, Malhotra wants India to adopt a fearless approach, and for this, she believes the team management should promote attacking batter Richa Ghosh to No. 3. Wicketkeeper-batter Ghosh has scored 1,333 runs at a strike rate of 144.57 in 88 T20Is, mostly batting at Nos. 5 to 7.
Reema Malhotra
“If you want to play fearless cricket, you must send a fearless batter up. Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana should be our openers. We should go with Richa Ghosh at No. 3. Harman will bat at No. 4, then we have Deepti Sharma at No. 5, followed by Bharti Fulmali. Our batting order will look good when you have two power-hitters on top, Richa and Shafali, and Bharti at the bottom. Why does Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner come in at No. 3? Because she can change the scenario of a match. Currently, Richa’s mindset is, ‘I want to play 10-15 balls.’ The day her mindset changes to that of a No. 3 batter, her scores of 15, 20 and 25 will convert to 70, 80 and 100. Before going to this Asia Cup, Harman and [head coach] Amol Muzumdar’s role will be to give role clarity to their players. I didn’t see that in the recent T20 World Cup [where India failed to make the last four] in England,” Malhotra, 45, told mid-day on Thursday, during an interaction organised by Sony Sports Network.
India begin their campaign against Thailand on Sunday and play arch-rivals Pakistan on September 5.
Malhotra, who played one Test, 41 ODIs, and 22 T20Is between 2003 and 2013, admitted that the intensity always rises when playing against Pakistan. “I won’t lie. There’s always a bit of anger inside that you have to defeat them. When you play Sri Lanka or China, people say ‘all the best,’ but when you play Pakistan, everyone says, ‘you have to defeat them’. So, the body language changes and when the intensity is high, it’s fun to defeat Pakistan,” said Malhotra, a former middle-order batter and leg-spinner, who played her last ODI and T20I against Pakistan.
Malhotra believes India’s spin attack, led by Deepti Sharma, will be a big plus in the UAE.
“Sri Lanka won the 2024 Asia Cup, but we’re playing better cricket than Sri Lanka. In the T20 World Cup too, our performance was better. We should look to dominate,” she signed off.