Ranking top 3 most thrilling Test matches of  WTC 2021-23 cycle

The WTC 2021-23 cycle is coming to its conclusion with the big final just days away. This time it would be India and Australia competing for the mace. As such, this cycle of the WTC had several highlights. Here, we try to rank the top three tests of the cycle.

3. Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, Galle , 2022

On a Galle surface that is degrading, chasing anything more than 100 runs is a difficult task when the hosts have up to four strong spinners in their starting XI.  Kusal Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal delivered outstanding innings for the hosts during the first Test in Galle, giving Pakistan a challenging target of 344.

However, Pakistan had reached 222/3 by the conclusion of day four owing to a century from Abdullah Shafique, putting them in a position to win the match. A rain delay added to the suspense as Pakistan was still 11 runs short of the target, but they quickly rallied to claim a prestigious victory.

2. Pakistan vs England, Rawalpindi, 2022

The drama of the final day ensured that this battle would live on in history for many years to come, despite the fact that the first four days of this historic match saw a lot of runs scored—it was the third-highest scoring Test match ever. The first Test match between England and Pakistan in 17 years seemed set for a draw until visiting captain Ben Stokes made a daring declaration late on the fourth day. 

Pakistan had four sessions to chase down the 343 runs on what appeared to still be a good batting surface, but England had other ideas as staunch veteran James Anderson and persistent quick Ollie Robinson orchestrated a historic victory. The two each grabbed four wickets in Pakistan’s second innings, but spinner Jack Leach eventually claimed the last victim as the hosts were dismissed for 268 with just a few minutes left in the day.

1. New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, Christchurch, 2023

Sri Lanka was still in the running for a top-four finish in the World Test Championship, and pacesetters Australia and India were keeping an eye on the match from a different continent to see if the standings had changed. The two evenly matched teams didn’t differ much throughout the first four days, and as clouds gathered over Hagley Oval on the final day, any result was still possible.

Rain wiped out all of the first session, and because it continued far into the second, a draw seemed to be the most likely result. The rain, however, stopped as New Zealand soon got rolling in their pursuit of 257 runs from 52 overs and Sri Lanka hunted down the nine wickets required to keep their chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship alive.

Everything came down to the final over of the day with the floodlights on in diminishing light, with Sri Lanka still needing three wickets and New Zealand needing eight runs to win. By snatching a bye off the final delivery, New Zealand helped the hosts narrowly escape with victory. Match MVP Kane Williamson just made it to the ground. The visitors gained hope when Matt Henry was run out on the third ball of the over.