WTC table: India go atop following Australia's triumph over NZ
India have gone atop the ICC World Test Championship standings following Australia's 172-run triumph over hosts New Zealand in the opening Test in Wellington. The Kiwis, who were at the top before the game, have now slipped down to the second place. Australia have retained their third spot in the standings with this victory. Here we decode the latest WTC standings.
How did the game pan out?
Cameron Green's 174* helped Australia post 383 while batting first. Matt Henry claimed five wickets. In reply, Nathan Lyon's four-fer meant NZ were folded for 179. Glenn Phillips made 71. Phillips claimed his maiden Test fifer as Australia managed 164 in their second outing. Chasing 369 for victory, NZ were bundled out for 196. Lyon took six wickets.
NZ slip down to second place
New Zealand, who routed South Africa 2-0 at home in their preceding Test series, have now slipped down to the second place. The Kiwis now have 36 points and a points percentage of 60%. They have won three out of five matches and lost two in the current cycle. Earlier, NZ played a 1-1 draw against Bangladesh.
Australia hold the third position
The Aussies continue at the third position with this win. Having featured in 11 Test matches, Australia have won seven and lost three while registering a solitary draw. They own 78 points and a PCT of 59.09%. They earlier demolished Pakistan 3-0 in their previous Test assignment.
India climb to the top
With NZ slipping down in the table, India have now gone to the pinnacle. India have won five of their eight matches in the 2023-25 WTC cycle. They have accumulated 62 points with a points percentage of 64.58. India were down to fifth spot after losing the first Test of the ongoing series against England, but three consecutive wins helped them rise again.
What about England?
England fell to seventh spot after they lost the Visakhapatnam Test against India. With another defeat in Rajkot, they dropped to eighth spot in the 2023-25 WTC standings. The Three Lions have lost four out of eight Tests in this cycle and have amassed 21 points with a points percentage of 19.44. Earlier, England registered a 2-2 draw in the Ashes.
Decoding positions of Pakistan and WI
Pakistan hold fifth place with 22 points and 36.66% PCT. The tally includes two wins and three defeats (PCT: 36.66%). Meanwhile, WI are in sixth place. They now have two defeats, a win, and a draw in this cycle (16 points). Their PTC went up to 33.33% following a 1-1 tied series against Australia last month courtesy of a great win in Brisbane.
What about Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and South Africa?
Bangladesh are at the fourth place and they own 12 points and a PCT of 50%. They have one win and a defeat. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka, having lost both their Tests in this cycle, are at the bottom. Seventh-placed South Africa have won just one of their four Tests so far in the game. They now have 12 points and a PCT of 25%.
WTC: A look at points system
As has been the case, the ICC WTC standings are determined by the percentage of points earned. There are 12 points available for each win in the WTC. Four points are awarded to each team for a draw, with the teams earning six for a tie. A loss leads to no point deduction, while teams can lose points because of slow over-rates.
