The race to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final at Lord’s is heating up as teams fight for a place in the coveted summit clash.
With South Africa emerging as leaders, the standings continue to change with each series, leaving some teams hopeful while others fall out of contention.
New Zealand concluded their WTC 2025 campaign with a hard-fought victory over England, but were unable to secure a place in the final.
Despite a strong finish, the Black Caps’ journey was marred by consecutive defeats in Christchurch and Wellington, along with a slow over-rate penalty that cost them crucial points, leaving them in fourth place.
South Africa’s recent dominance, including 2-0 victories over Sri Lanka, has catapulted them to the top of the standings.
With standout performances and a solid home record, the Proteas are now in prime position to qualify for the final.
The upcoming series against Pakistan could cement their position at Lord’s if their winning streak continues.
Australia and India remain tied in the battle for the top two spots.
Despite a temporary setback following India’s defeat to New Zealand, Australia regained momentum with a pink-ball victory in Adelaide.
However, India’s impressive victory in Perth against the Australians keeps them firmly in the race, with both teams looking ahead to critical series in the coming months.
England’s WTC hopes were dashed after a mixed campaign. Although they secured a dominant series victory over New Zealand, early defeats in Pakistan proved to be very costly.
Sri Lanka also struggled to maintain momentum after a promising start, with their chances significantly hampered following a win against South Africa.
Pakistan showed improvement with the recent 2-1 Test series win over England after a home series defeat against Bangladesh.
However, the chances of reaching the final remain minimal, as they need an unlikely combination of results to climb the rankings. A challenging series against South Africa awaits them later this year.
West Indies and Bangladesh have faced inconsistent campaigns.
Although both teams showed moments of brilliance, such as West Indies’ triumph in Brisbane and Bangladesh’s victory over Pakistan, neither side managed to maintain their form.
The Caribbean team will look to finish strong in the upcoming series against Pakistan in 2025.
With South Africa at the top of the standings and Australia, India and Pakistan still fighting for a place, the final months of the 2023-25 ​​WTC cycle are expected to bring fierce competition.
