With Test matches coming thick and fast, the World Test Championship (WTC) points table for the 2023-2025 cycle is changing every now and then. On Sunday, December 1, England got the better of New Zealand in the first Test at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch as they won by eight wickets.
After dismissing New Zealand for 254 in their second innings, England needed just 104 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The Three Lions needed just 12.4 overs to reach the target, with eight wickets in the bank. Debutant Jacob Bethell scored an unbeaten 50 off 37 balls, while Ben Duckett (27) and Joe Root (23*) played swashbuckling cameos for the tourists.
Brydon Carse was fittingly awarded the Player of the Match after the right-arm pacer took four wickets in the first innings and six more in the second. The 29-year-old also contributed with a fluent 33 off 24 balls in England's first innings.
This defeat has massively dented New Zealand's aspirations of making the WTC final next year. The Tom Latham-led side remained fourth on the WTC points table, but their win percentage dropped from 54.55 to 50. This is their sixth defeat from 12 Tests and a huge dampener after a historic series win in India. After this loss, New Zealand can finish with a maximum win percentage of 57.14 if they emerge victorious in their two remaining Tests in the series against England. Meanwhile, if the hosts win the series 2-1, they will need favours from other teams to make it through to the summit clash.
Also Check: Twitter Reactions: England defeat New Zealand by 8 wickets to go 1-0 in three-match Test series
On the other hand, England continued their stay at No. 6 on the points table, having won 10 out of the 20 games they have played so far. The Englishmen don't have a chance of qualifying for what would have been a maiden WTC final appearance. Ben Stokes and Co. have a points' percentage (PCT) of 43.75.
On Saturday, South Africa defeated Sri Lanka by 233 runs at Kingsmead, Durban to move up to No. 2 on the points table, displacing reigning champions Australia. The Proteas have a win percentage of 59.26. Meanwhile, the Lankan Lions have a win percentage of 50.
Latest WTC 2023-25 Points Table:
| Position | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | Points | PCT |
| 1 | INDIA | 15 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 110 | 61.11 |
| 2 | SOUTH AFRICA | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 64 | 59.26 |
| 3 | AUSTRALIA | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 90 | 57.69 |
| 4 | NEW ZEALAND | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 72 | 50.00 |
| 5 | SRI LANKA | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 60 | 50.00 |
| 6 | ENGLAND | 20 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 105 | 43.75 |
| 7 | PAKISTAN | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 40 | 33.33 |
| 8 | WEST INDIES | 10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 32 | 26.67 |
| 9 | BANGLADESH | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 33 | 25.00 |
*Last updated December 1, 2024, after England's win over New Zealand in the first Test in Christchurch.
from Cricket News: Latest International, Domestic and League Updates | CricTracker https://ift.tt/74DyfxL