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WTC Points Table: India remained fifth in the World Test Championship (WTC) points table after their second Test against Sri Lanka ended in a draw in Colombo on Thursday. Sri Lanka produced a determined second-innings fightback after being forced to follow on, denying India a 2-0 series sweep. India therefore finished the two-Test series 1-0 ahead after winning the opening Test in Galle.

The draw leaves India with 68 points and a points percentage (PCT) of 51.52%. Sri Lanka remain sixth with 24 points and a PCT of 33.33%.

India Post 503/9 Before Declaring

India dominated the early stages of the second Test after captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bat.

Devdutt Padikkal continued his impressive run in the series, scoring 117 off 193 balls. Gill contributed 50, while Rishabh Pant made 63 off 89 deliveries.

Dhruv Jurel then produced a century, remaining unbeaten on 115 off 177 balls. Ravindra Jadeja added 43 as India eventually declared on 503/9 after 138 overs.

Sri Lanka's bowlers struggled to contain India's batting, although Asitha Fernando finished with four wickets. Prabath Jayasuriya and Keshara Nuwantha took two wickets each.

Sri Lanka Bowled Out For 290

Sri Lanka struggled in their first innings and were eventually dismissed for 290 in 89.4 overs.

Pasindu Sooriyabandara provided resistance with an 80 off 133 balls, while Sonal Dinusha produced the innings' standout score with 103 off 162 deliveries.

India's bowling attack shared the wickets. Prasidh Krishna and Manav Suthar claimed three wickets each, while Saransh Jain took two. Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja picked up one wicket apiece.

Sri Lanka were therefore 213 runs behind India, prompting Gill to enforce the follow-on.

Sonal Dinusha Leads Sri Lanka's Fightback

India were in a strong position to complete a 2-0 series win after forcing Sri Lanka to bat again.

However, Sri Lanka's second innings was a different story. Sooriyabandara once again made a significant contribution, scoring 92 off 173 balls, while Kamindu Mendis made 55 off 92.

Sonal Dinusha was once again the key figure. After scoring a century in the first innings, he remained unbeaten on 133 off 264 balls in the second innings.

Keshara Nuwantha added 46, while Dhananjaya de Silva scored 23 as Sri Lanka fought their way to 429/9 in 154 overs.

With rain also affecting the final stages, India could not force the remaining wicket. The match ended in a draw, allowing Sri Lanka to avoid a series sweep.

WTC Points Table After India vs Sri Lanka 2nd Test

India entered the second Test fifth in the WTC standings, with Sri Lanka sixth. The updated table is:

1. Australia: 10 matches, 8 wins, 2 losses, 0 draws, 0 deducted points, 96 points, 80.00% PCT

2. South Africa: 4 matches, 3 wins, 1 loss, 0 draws, 36 points, 75.00% PCT

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

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

5. India: 11 matches, 5 wins, 4 losses, 2 draws, 68 points, 51.52% PCT

6. Sri Lanka: 6 matches, 1 win, 2 losses, 3 draws, 24 points, 33.33% PCT

7. England: 14 matches, 5 wins, 8 losses, 1 draw, 14 deducted points, 50 points, 29.76% PCT

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

9. Pakistan: 7 matches, 2 wins, 5 losses, 8 deducted points, 16 points, 19.05% PCT

India's PCT has therefore dropped from 53.33% to 51.52% after the draw. The result keeps the Shubman Gill-led side fifth, with their qualification hopes still dependent on their results in the remaining WTC matches.

India will next face New Zealand in a two-Test series before their remaining home assignments against Australia.

What The WTC Points Table Means For India

The draw is a missed opportunity for India, who had reduced Sri Lanka to a follow-on after taking a 213-run first-innings lead.

A win would have strengthened India's position in the WTC standings, but Sri Lanka's resistance means India now have to make the most of their remaining matches. With the gap between the teams near the top of the table still relatively close, every dropped opportunity could prove significant in the race for the WTC final.