New Zealand have surged to the pinnacle of the World Test Championship (WTC 2023-25) standings following an outstanding performance in the first Test against South Africa in Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. The Black Caps took no time to dismiss the Proteas for a mere 247 runs in the second innings, securing a commanding victory by an impressive margin of 281 runs. Rachin Ravindra was honoured as the Player of the Match for his exceptional all-round performance.
This triumph propelled New Zealand from the third position to the first in the rankings, accumulating a points percentage of 66.67% from three matches. On the other hand, South Africa have slipped from the fourth to the seventh position, with their points percentage decreasing to 33.33%.
As a consequence of New Zealand's rise, both Australia and India have each dropped by one position in the ICC World Test Championship points table. Simultaneously, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and West Indies have advanced by one spot, benefitting from South Africa's decline.
Here Are The Updated WTC 2023-25 Standings:
The second Test match of the New Zealand vs South Africa Test series is scheduled to commence on February 12 at 3:30 AM IST. Should the Blackcaps secure a 2-0 clean-sweep in the series, they will solidify their position at the top of the ICC World Test Championship points table.
How India Can Move To 2nd Spot In WTC 2023-25 Standings
As of now, in addition to the New Zealand vs South Africa series, the India vs England series is also ongoing within the current World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. The Indian team managed to level the series 1-1 with a victory over England in the Vizag Test match earlier this week. Both teams are presently on a break and are set to resume the series on February 15 with the third Test scheduled to take place in Rajkot.
If Rohit Sharma and the Indian team emerge victorious in the third Test against England, they would surpass Australia and move into the second position in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings. With this win, their points percentage would elevate from 52.78% to 59.52%. On the other hand, a win for England could propel them from the eighth position to the sixth position in the WTC standings.
Australia are also set to embark on another Test series, this time as the visiting team to New Zealand. The two sides are scheduled to clash in the first Test of the two-match series at Basin Reserve in Wellington on February 29. Result of this Test series will also have a major impact on the WTC 2023-25 standings.