Pakistan and West Indies face off in the first Test of the two-match series in Multan, with Pakistan currently holding a strong position in the 2023-25 cycle of the World Test Championship. Despite a recent defeat in South Africa, Pakistan aims to continue their winning streak at home after a successful series against England. West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite is determined to put up a strong fight and end their previous record of finishing in eighth place in the WTC.
With the WTC final set to take place in June 2025, defending champions Australia currently sit at second position in the points table. However, with three matches to go, including a crucial Test against India and two against Sri Lanka, Australia will secure their place in the final if they win at least one of those matches. South Africa has already qualified for the final, but the final spot is still up for grabs and will depend on the results of the upcoming matches.
India suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Australia in the fourth Test, putting their chances of making it to the World Test Championship Final in jeopardy. They will now have to win their final game against Australia and hope that Australia do not win against Sri Lanka in order to secure a spot in the final. With South Africa already qualifying for the final, India's chances are looking slim.
In a nail-biting first Test match of their two-match series, South Africa emerged victorious over Pakistan and secured their spot in the WTC final at Lord's next year. After a major collapse in their first innings, the Proteas were set a target of 148 which they chased down with the help of a valiant unbeaten stand by Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. Despite Mohammad Abbas' six-wicket haul for Pakistan, South Africa held their nerves and secured their spot in the WTC final, leaving India's chances uncertain.
The World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 is heating up as South Africa and India have secured their spots with thrilling wins over Pakistan and an impressive record respectively. On the other hand, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh, and Pakistan are now out of contention for the final spot, making the remaining matches even more crucial for other teams in the race.
Indian cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma was irritated by a female fan's repeated requests to call Shubman Gill during practice at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. With the WTC Final dreams at stake, this match is crucial for both India and Australia. Despite his struggles with form, Rohit does not want Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant to be weighed down by outside suggestions as they are all "capable" players. These three youngsters will form the core of Indian batting in the next decade, and Rohit knows their worth.
In a dominating performance, New Zealand defeated England by 423 runs in the third Test at Hamilton. This was a fitting farewell for veteran pacer Tim Southee, who claimed two wickets in his final Test to finish with 391 wickets. Despite this win, New Zealand lost the series 2-1 to England, who have now been eliminated from the World Test Championship finals race due to their poor performance. Mitchell Santner was named the Player of the Match for his all-round performance, while Jacob Bethell and Joe Root showed some fight for England.
The third Test match between India and Australia ended in a draw due to persistent rain in Brisbane. Despite Australia dominating with both bat and ball, India's resilient performance in the second innings helped them avoid the follow-on. This result means that both teams earned 4 points each in the ongoing World Test Championship. However, India's and Australia's percentage points have dropped slightly, keeping them at the 3rd and 2nd positions respectively in the WTC points table.
In a closely fought match, India's draw against Australia caused their points percentage to drop in the ICC World Test Championship standings. Despite gaining four points, India's PCT slipped with their second draw in the ongoing WTC cycle, while Australia's also decreased. Both teams are still in the running for the WTC final, with India needing to avoid another loss and Australia having four games left to play.
Star Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah takes over the top spot from Ravichandran Ashwin in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle with 66 wickets. As he continues to shine in the ongoing India-Australia Test series, Bumrah's impressive wicket tally has surpassed Ashwin's record of 63 wickets. The pacer is now on track to break Ashwin's record for most wickets taken by an Indian in a WTC cycle if he takes six more wickets in the next two matches.