The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) points table has been updated after the first Test of the three-match series between England and New Zealand. New Zealand suffered a disappointing loss during the series opener, which dealt a significant blow to their chances of reaching the WTC 2025 final clash.
England secured an eight-wicket win over New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Sunday, December 1. The Ben Stokes-led team chased down a 104-run target with ease on the fourth day of the game. Pacer Brydon Carse was awarded “Player of the Match” for his ten-wicket haul in the match.
Harry Brook Scored 171 Runs in England’s First Innings
New Zealand posted a total of 348 runs in the first innings after being asked to bat first. Kane Williamson, who returned to the XI after missing the India tour, scored 93 runs off 197 balls. Glenn Phillips scored an unbeaten 58 runs. Brydon Carse and Shoaib Bashir secured four wickets each for England.
Harry Brook scored 171 runs off 197 balls, including 15 boundaries and three sixes as England scored 499 runs in their first innings. The visiting team bowlers then restricted the Black Caps to 254 runs in the second innings. Carse recorded bowling figures of 6/42 to complete his maiden 10-wicket haul in Tests.
Updated ICC World Test Championship Points Table (WTC Table) After NZ vs ENG 1st Test Revealed
The defeat impacted New Zealand’s chances of reaching the World Test Championship 2025 final. The Tom Latham-led team’s points percentage (PCT) has dropped to 50%, level with Sri Lanka in fourth. Their qualification for a spot in the 2025 final is unlikely, even with a 2-1 series win against England.
England’s chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship final ended with their series defeat in Pakistan. However, they have improved their PCB to 43.75. They won’t cross a PCT beyond 50%, even with a 3-0 series victory. Notably, England didn’t qualify for the WTC final in the first two editions.
Here is the Updated ICC World Test Championship Points Table:
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Lost | Draw | Deducted | Points | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 15 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 110 | 61.11% |
| 2 | South Africa | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 64 | 59.26% |
| 3 | Australia | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 90 | 57.69% |
| 4 | New Zealand | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 72 | 50.00% |
| 4 | Sri Lanka | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 50.00% |
| 6 | England | 20 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 19 | 105 | 43.75% |
| 7 | Pakistan | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 40 | 33.33% |
| 8 | West Indies | 10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 26.67% |
| 9 | Bangladesh | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 33 | 25.00% |
The second match of the series between England and New Zealand will be played at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, starting on Friday, December 6.
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