England climbs ICC World Test Championship 2025 points table after victory over New Zealand

England’s eight-wicket triumph over New Zealand in the first Test of their three-match series at Hagley Oval has propelled them to sixth place in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 standings. The victory marked a positive start for England’s final outing in this WTC cycle.

With the first Test of all four ongoing series concluded, the WTC standings have undergone significant shifts. India and South Africa bolstered their chances of reaching the final at Lord’s in 2025 with commanding wins, while setbacks for Australia and Sri Lanka have complicated their paths to the top two spots.

New Zealand’s loss to England has dealt a severe blow to their campaign, leaving them unable to surpass the critical 60% points threshold. Meanwhile, a home win over Bangladesh lifted the West Indies from the bottom of the table, leaving Bangladesh in ninth place.

Updated WTC Standings and Scenarios

India (61.11% points)
Remaining Matches: 4 (Australia away)
Best Possible Finish: 69.30%
India’s emphatic victory in the first Test against Australia has revitalized their campaign. After suffering a 3-0 home whitewash against New Zealand in October, India needs three more wins from four remaining matches to ensure a spot in the WTC final.

South Africa (59.26% points)
Remaining Matches: 3 (Sri Lanka home, Pakistan home)
Best Possible Finish: 69.44%
South Africa continued their strong form with a win over Sri Lanka in their home season opener. Success in their remaining matches would secure their path to the WTC final.

Australia (57.69% points)
Remaining Matches: 6 (India home, Sri Lanka away)
Best Possible Finish: 71.05%
Despite a loss to India in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar series, the defending champions remain strong contenders with six matches left. A minimum of four wins will be crucial for their qualification hopes.

New Zealand (50% points)
Remaining Matches: 2 (England home)
Best Possible Finish: 57.14%
A loss to England in Christchurch has significantly dented New Zealand’s chances. Even a perfect run in their remaining matches may not be enough to secure a final berth.

Sri Lanka (50% points)
Remaining Matches: 3 (South Africa away, Australia home)
Best Possible Finish: 61.54%
A heavy defeat in Durban has left Sri Lanka needing a turnaround in their remaining fixtures.

England (43.75% points)
Remaining Matches: 2 (New Zealand away)
Best Possible Finish: 48.86%
England’s recent win offers a boost, but they are out of contention for the final after losses earlier in the cycle.

Pakistan (33.33% points)
Remaining Matches: 4 (South Africa away, West Indies home)
Best Possible Finish: 52.38%
Although Pakistan has improved under coach Jason Gillespie, their chances of reaching the final remain slim.

West Indies (26.67% points)
Remaining Matches: 3 (Bangladesh home, Pakistan away)
Best Possible Finish: 43.59%
A win over Bangladesh has lifted the West Indies off the bottom, but their WTC campaign has been largely disappointing.

Bangladesh (25.00% points)
Remaining Matches: 1 (West Indies away)
Best Possible Finish: 31.25%
With only one Test remaining, Bangladesh will finish the cycle at the bottom regardless of the outcome.