DNA Explainer: How a four-point deduction cost Australia a potential ICC World Test Championship final spot

The ICC World Test Championship saw some massive developments on Tuesday with Australia indefinitely postponing their three-Test tour of South Africa due to the coronavirus pandemic. With the announcement, New Zealand became the first team to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship final that will be played in Lord's in June 2021. With India and England playing each other in their last series of the current ICC World Test Championship, Australia's chances of directly qualifying for Lord's is out of their hands. One must remember, the team's qualification for the final depends on the Percentage Points earned and not the total number of points. This facility was done due to a number of series postponed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Australia currently has 69.2 percentage points and they will have to hope these certain scenarios work for them in order to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship. Australia will be hoping that the series between India and England is drawn 1-1, 2-2, 0-0 or that either of India and England wins the series 1-0 with three draws. If India wins 2-0, 2-1, 3-0, 3-1, 4-0, or if England wins 3-0 or 4-0, then Australia will not qualify for Lord's. However, the situation that Australia finds itself in is all due to their fault. One can argue that Australia lost their chance to qualify for Lord's during the Melbourne Test.

Four points docked

During the Melbourne Test, India staged a rousing comeback after being bowled out for 36 in Adelaide. Ajinkya Rahane's side won the match and leveled the series 1-1. However, it was events after the match which proved to be defining. Australia was fined for their slow over-rate, with Tim Paine's side being ruled to be two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. However, the massive factor was that as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, a side is penalised two points for each over short. Consequently, four World Test Championship points were deducted from Australia's points total.

Those four points have proven to be a massive difference. Had those four points not been deducted, Australia's percentage points would not have gone below New Zealand's tally of 70 even if they had lost the series against India and with the South Africa series postponement. The requirements from both India and England in the upcoming series would have been a lot more steeper, with New Zealand facing the situation that Australia is currently in.

Those four points have potentially meant that Australia's chances of playing the ICC World Test Championship final are not directly in their hands.