England and Australia’s World Test Championship (WTC) aspirations suffered a blow due to sluggish over-rates in the Ashes series, leading to point deductions.
As a result, the WTC25 standings have undergone a major shift, with Pakistan and India taking the lead with unbeaten records.
Pakistan has been unstoppable in the 2023-25 WTC campaign, displaying their dominance in Test cricket. Led by the dynamic Babar Azam, they achieved a remarkable 100 percent point percentage after a convincing clean sweep against Sri Lanka in a two-Test series.
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India holds the second spot in the standings with a solid 66.66 percent point percentage. They started their WTC25 journey with a commanding innings win against the West Indies, setting the tone for their campaign despite rain affecting their chances of a series clean sweep.
Former leaders, England, and Australia faced the brunt of penalties for their slow over-rates during the Ashes series. England’s 19-point deduction and Australia’s 10-point deduction pushed them down the standings, leaving them with point percentages of 15 percent and 30 percent, respectively.
Adding to Australia’s woes, they lost their top spot in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s Test Rankings, while England’s one-point gain from the drawn series brings them close to the summit.
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As the dust settles, the WTC25 standings present a thrilling battle between cricketing powerhouses. With Australia and England facing challenges to regain their position, Pakistan and India are poised to dominate the race for the World Test Championship crown.
Bangladesh, New Zealand, and South Africa are yet to launch their campaigns in the current iteration of the World Test Championship, while Sri Lanka struggles at the bottom of the standings after a home whitewash.
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