ICC World Test Championship 2025 Standings
Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen’s stunning partnership took the Proteas to a thrilling two-wicket win over Pakistan in the first Test, thereby confirming their spot at next June’s final. Australia and India are currently locked in battle in Melbourne in an enthralling Boxing Day Test, with all four results possible on the final day.
South Africa v Pakistan, Scorecard
Australia and India remain the favourites to clinch the other spot, while Sri Lanka will need a string of favourable results—including a successful showing in their upcoming two-match series against Australia in January—to keep their hopes alive.
First – South Africa – 66.67% of possible points
Remaining matches: Pakistan (home, one Test)
Best Possible Finish: 69.44%
The Proteas became the first side to mark their name in the World Test Championship Final after a nail-biting win in their opening Test against Pakistan at the SuperSport Park.
The 148-run chase in the fourth innings saw several twists, but Rabada and Jansen once again stood tall – similar to their heroics in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final against Afghanistan – to conclude a thriller.
The two sides face off in Cape Town next in the second Test, set to begin on Friday, January 3, leaving it as a formality contest for the home side.
Second – Australia – 58.89% of possible points
Remaining matches: India (home, two Tests), Sri Lanka (away, two Tests)
Best possible finish: 67.54%
With South Africa becoming the first side to reach the summit clash, Australia edge out India as the second favourites to make it to the Final, but that remains to be seen post the conclusion of the fifth day’s action in the Boxing Day Test against India.
With the Border-Gavaskar series still tied at 1-1 after the draw in Brisbane, Australia are in a strong position for a top-two finish. They will also tour Sri Lanka next year for an additional two Tests, meaning they could theoretically draw 2-2 with India and stay in contention for a place in the final.
Third – India – 55.88% of possible points
Remaining matches: Australia (away, two Tests)
Best possible finish: 60.53%
India have a tougher task at hand, needing a win in the Boxing Day Test as well as the fifth Test in Sydney in order for ensure qualifcation. Any other outcome would leave their fate dependent on other results to reach the Finale at Lord’s.
After an unprecedented 3-0 series whitewash at home in October against New Zealand which pushed them down a spot in the WTC table, India bounced back in the race for Lord’s with an inspiring win against Australia in Perth.
An all-round display from the batters and the bowlers in Perth has rekindled India’s hopes for a third straight appearance in the WTC Final. However, their hopes were dashed when they suffered a 10-wicket loss at the hands of Australia in the second Test followed by a draw in the third Test, which forced them to slip to No.3 in the Standings.
Remaining World Test Championship Fixtures
WATCH: Australia win the WTC23 Final
Fourth – New Zealand – 48.21%
A historic series sweep in India had bolstered New Zealand’s hope of claiming a potential second World Test Championship title but their chances took a severe hit following a loss to Ben Stokes’ England in the first Test in Christchurch.
New Zealand’s hopes were further dented after they were penalised three points for a slow over-rate in the first Test. As a result, they dropped to fifth in the standings, having previously shared fourth place with Sri Lanka.
The Black Caps’ woes continued when they suffered a big defeat in the second Test in Wellington, losing by 323 runs and slipping to sixth in the standings as England overtook them.
The two losses ended their hopes of qualifying for the final and despite a massive 423-run victory in the final Test, they are still only fourth on the current WTC25 standings list.
Fifth – Sri Lanka – 45.45% of possible points
Remaining matches: Australia (home, two Tests)
Best Possible Finish: 53.85%
South Africa’s qualification to the WTC25 Final has left Sri Lanka clinging on to barely any hopes, with Australia and India ahead of them in the race.
A head-turning victory over England in the third Test away followed by a 2-0 whitewash of New Zealand at home was the highlight of Sri Lanka’s recent Test returns, and the Island nation went to South Africa confidently.
However, a 2-0 series whitewash at the hands of the Proteas has significantly damaged Sri Lanka’s chances of reaching the WTC25 Final, leaving them needing several results to go their way for any hope of qualification.
Sixth – England – 43.18%
While a rampant home season had sparked some hopes for England, consecutive losses in Pakistan saw them drop out of contention for a spot at next year’s final.
They began their final outing in the WTC, a three-match series against the Black Caps towards the end of November on a positive note with an eight-wicket win. And then followed it up with a big 323-win in the second Test, thereby taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
England did not do well in the final Test and suffered a massive 423-run loss, ending sixth on the WTC25 table.
Seventh – Bangladesh – 31.25% of possible points
Remaining matches: Nil
Best Possible Finish: 31.25%
Pakistan’s loss to South Africa has helped Bangaldesh move up to seventh but are anyway out of contention for the Final.
The Asian side finished their campaign on a high with an impressive 101-run victory over the West Indies that helped them off the bottom of the World Test Championship standings.
While it has been a relatively disappointing cycle for Bangladesh, they will be buoyed by the fact they won three Test matches away from home that included a series sweep over Pakistan earlier this year.
That gives Bangladesh some hope for the next cycle, though they will want to find some more consistent results on home soil.
Eighth – Pakistan – 30.30% of possible points
Remaining matches: South Africa (away, one Test), West Indies (home, two Tests)
Best Possible Finish: 45.24%
A defeat in the opening Test against South Africa has dropped Pakistan by a place to eighth in the World Test Championship standings.
Despite Mohammad Abbas’ heroics, the visitors failed to breach the ninth wicket stand, handing the Proteas a two-wicket win and their WTC25 Final spot.
They next play South Africa at the beginning of January and will then welcome West Indies home for two Tests in the same month.
Ninth – West Indies – 24.24% of possible points
Remaining matches: Pakistan (away, two matches)
Best Possible Finish: 35.90%
Inconsistency has plagued the West Indies for much of the current cycle, with some of their best moments often followed by disappointing efforts.
The highlight so far was their moment of glory against Australia in Brisbane in early 2024, while their recent triumph over Bangladesh at home in the first Test showed what they are capable of when producing their best cricket.
A batting collapse in the first innings of the second Test against Bangladesh proved too much for the West Indies to overturn as they fell to a 101-run loss in Jamaica to drop to ninth place on the standings, but they at least get the chance to finish on a high with a two-match series in Pakistan early in 2025.
The article originally appeared on ICC Cricket.
