The ICC World Test Championship 2025 Final race is set to witness dramatic scenes in the next few months with several teams still in contention for a spot. Will India make their third consecutive final? Every WTC 2025 Final scenario is explained here.
Australia’s commanding 184-run victory over India in the fourth Test in Melbourne has bolstered their chances of reaching the World Test Championship 2025 final. They now require just one more Test win to confirm their spot at Lord’s.
South Africa have booked their place in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 Final with a nail-biting two-wicket win over Pakistan in the first Test. The victory sealed their qualification, as they required just one win from the two-match series to advance. A loss in the second Test will have no effect on their spot in the final.
Australia and India remain in contention for the second spot in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 Final.
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Also, England’s triumph over New Zealand in the first Test at Christchurch was marred by slow over-rate penalties, with both teams docked three WTC points. This penalty pushed the Black Caps down to fifth place in the standings.
England continued their dominance in the second Test at Wellington, further denting New Zealand’s hopes of reaching the final. Despite winning the final Test, New Zealand concluded their WTC 2025 campaign alongside England at the end of the series.
The race at the top of the ICC World Test Championships standings is incredibly close, with teams competing fiercely. Here’s a breakdown of how teams are positioned.
South Africa have secured their spot in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 Final after a thrilling two-wicket victory over Pakistan in the first Test. This win ensures their qualification, as they only needed to win one of the two matches in the series to confirm their place. Even if they lose the second Test, it will not impact their qualification for the final.
Remaining matches: Pakistan (home, one Test)
Best Possible Finish: 69.44%
After losing the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar series, Australia bounced back strongly with dominant wins in Adelaide and Melbourne. Their Melbourne victory puts them in a strong position for a top-two finish. They now need just one win from their next three matches to secure a spot at Lord’s.
Remaining matches: India (home, one Test), Sri Lanka (away, two Tests)
Best Possible Finish: 67.54%
India lost the Melbourne Test by 184 runs and are now trailing 2-1 in the series. To qualify for the final, India must win the final Test against Australia and then rely on a favorable result from Sri Lanka (or a 0-0 draw) when Australia tours Sri Lanka early next year.
Remaining matches: Australia (away, one Test)
Best possible finish: 55.26%
| Pos | Team | Played | Won | Lost | Draw | Ded | Points | PCT % |
| 1 | SA | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 88 | 66.67 |
| 2 | AUS | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 118 | 61.46 |
| 3 | IND | 18 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 114 | 52.78 |
| 4 | NZ | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 81 | 48.21 |
| 5 | SL | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 45.45 |
| 6 | ENG | 22 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 22 | 114 | 43.18 |
| 7 | BAN | 12 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 45 | 31.25 |
| 8 | PAK | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 40 | 30.30 |
| 9 | WI | 11 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 24.24 |
After their defeat against England in the second Test, New Zealand are out of the WTC final race now. They got a boost by defeating India 3-0 by couldn’t build on it later in the home series.
The two defeats dashed their chances of qualifying for the final, and even with a commanding 423-run win in the final Test, they remain in fourth place on the current WTC 2025 standings.
Sri Lanka entered their series in South Africa with high hopes after recent successes, including a remarkable win over England in the third Test and a dominant 2-0 series sweep against New Zealand at home. These performances boosted their confidence as they aimed to strengthen their position in the ICC World Test Championship standings.
However, a 2-0 series defeat to South Africa has dealt a blow to their chances. With two matches remaining against Australia, Sri Lanka now faces a must-win situation in both games while also relying on favorable outcomes from other matches to keep their hopes of reaching the WTC final alive.
Remaining matches: Australia (home, two Tests)
Best Possible Finish: 53.84%
England’s recent defeats in Pakistan have ended their chances of qualifying for next year’s World Test Championship final. However, two dominant victories against New Zealand allowed them to regain some pride.
Despite this, England faltered in the final Test, suffering a crushing 423-run loss, which placed them sixth in the WTC 2025 standings.
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Bangladesh ended their campaign on a strong note with a commanding 101-run win against the West Indies, lifting them from the bottom of the World Test Championship standings.
After their narrow two-wicket loss to South Africa in the first Test, Pakistan has slipped to 8th place in the ICC World Test Championship standings. However, they still have three more Tests remaining to improve their position.
Remaining matches: South Africa (away, one Test), West Indies (home, two Tests)
Best Possible Finish: 45.24%
The West Indies’ second World Test Championship cycle has been disappointing, with a single memorable victory over Australia in Brisbane in early 2024. After dropping significant points at home against India, they struggled in Australia, England, and against South Africa.
After winning the first Test, the West Indies struggled in the second Test against Bangladesh, with a batting collapse in the first innings leading to a 101-run defeat in Jamaica. This loss dropped them to ninth place in the standings. However, they will have an opportunity to bounce back with a two-match series in Pakistan in early 2025.
Remaining matches: Pakistan (away, two matches)
Best Possible Finish: 35.90%
South Africa have booked their place in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 Final with a nail-biting two-wicket win over Pakistan in the first Test.
Now India and Australia, are the key contenders for the second spot in the WTC final.
Australia’s dominant 184-run triumph over India in the fourth Test in Melbourne has significantly enhanced their prospects of making the World Test Championship 2025 final. One more Test victory will secure their place at Lord’s.
India’s 184-run defeat in Melbourne leaves them trailing 2-1 in the series. To keep their World Test Championship final hopes alive, India must win the final Test against Australia and depend on a favorable outcome when Australia tours Sri Lanka early next year.
A 2-0 series defeat to South Africa has hurt Sri Lanka’s chances. With two matches remaining against Australia, they must win both and hope for favorable results elsewhere to stay in contention for the WTC final.
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