WTC: England consolidate fourth spot, Pakistan slip further down
In a record-breaking match, England thrashed Pakistan by an innings and 47 runs in the first of the three-Test series in Multan. The win has consolidated their number-four position in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) standings, while Pakistan have been pushed to rock bottom. Notably, England recorded their third-ever score over 800 and their highest total in 86 years. Let's decode the WTC standings.
How did the game pan out?
Pakistan hammered 556/10 batting first thanks to centuries from Abdullah Shafique (102), Shan Masood (151), and Agha Salman's 104*. In response, England were powered by Harry Brook's triple-century and Joe Root's double-ton. Zak Crawley (78) and Ben Duckett (84) missed out on tons as the visitors declared at 823/7, claiming a massive 267-run lead. Pakistan could only manage 220/10 in their second outing, losing by an innings and 47 runs.
Pakistan's struggles in WTC standings
This defeat marked Pakistan's 11th consecutive winless Test at home, a new low for them. In the current WTC cycle, they have won just two out of eight Tests and lost six. Pakistan are now reeling at the last spot with a PCT of 16.67%. Their tally of 16 points is also the lowest for any team.
England continue at the fourth spot
England continue to occupy the fourth spot, having attained points percentage of 45.59. They have won nine of their 17 Tests as of now. While they have also suffered seven defeats, one of their matches also ended in a draw. Meanwhile, Australia retain their second spot with a 62.50 points percentage. They have recorded eight wins, three defeats, and a solitary draw.
India continue to lead
India's recent 2-0 win over Bangladesh gave a solid boost to their position in WTC 2025. Rohit Sharma's team continues to sit pretty at the top with eight wins, two losses, and one draw from 11 matches, racking up a total of 98 points. This win has also bumped up their points percentage to an impressive 74.24%. Meanwhile, Bangladesh hold the seventh place. They now hold a PCT of 34.38%, having won three and lost five games.
WTC standings: Sri Lanka and New Zealand's positions
Sri Lanka have recorded five wins in the current cycle, boosting their points percentage (PCT) to 55.56%. The third-placed SL also own four defeats. On the other hand, New Zealand have suffered five loss in eight matches of WTC 2023-25, causing their PCT to drop to 37.50%. They are sixth in the table with three wins
What about the other teams?
South Africa, who beat West Indies 1-0 in their recent away Test series, are fifth in the standings. They have 28 points and a PCT of 38.89 %, having recorded two wins and three defeats (Draw: 1). With Pakistan going further down, WI are now at the eighth spot with 20 points and a PCT of 18.52 % (W1, D2, L6).
WTC standings: 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.
