Nobody wants World Test Championship (WTC) final to be a draw, but if that happens...

Can the WTC Finals scheduled to be held at the Oval from June 7 to June 11 end up in a draw?? The probability one would say is not too high; however, a lot many test matches have indeed ended up in a draw—for one reason or another.
Even this time, a draw is being predicted but only if it rains. And for this very reason, the ICC has already provided a 6th reserve day of action should such a scenario take place.

The Indian team is very eager to take on the Australians and beat them and thereby etch their name on the ICC WTC trophy. The last time India played in the finals they had to lose against a committed New Zealand team which put paid to their hopes of a Championship title. The Aussies, however, are no pushovers having garnered the maximum number of points in the league stages.

Five days of cricketing action from these two well-balanced and tough sides should ideally provide a result, but, as is prone to happen in many a Test match, a draw still cannot be ruled out. In the event this does happen, the two teams will be declared joint winners with India and Australia both sharing the honors.

In all other forms of cricket, an eventual winner is arrived at – by making use of the number of boundaries scored by each side OR the number of wickets taken OR a Super Over is introduced to find the winner OR even the league standings are taken into account at times. But no such measure is in place in the WTC finals… either there is clear winner or else the trophy will be shared by the two finalists.

The Reserve day will kick in only if time is lost in the finals due to inclement weather—most probably, the rain will have to act as the spoilsport and then and only then will the Reserve day be brought into action. Not otherwise. In case of a stalemate, that is there is no result in proper 5 days of action, there is no provision for the Reserve day to be considered to arrive at the ultimate winner and the match would be declared a draw with both sides sharing the trophy.

This does not appear to be a result that would go down well with everybody—especially in the present days—but that’s how it is going to be!!

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