The ICC World Test Championship 2025 Final race is set to witness dramatic scenes in the next few months with several teams still in contention for a spot. Will India make their third consecutive final? Every WTC 2025 Final scenario is explained here.
The latest WTC 2025 series update
South Africa defeated Sri Lanka by 233 runs in the first Test of the ongoing two-match series at Kingsmead, Durban, on November 30. South Africa declared their second innings at 366 for 5, setting a daunting target of 516 for Sri Lanka, who could only manage 282 runs in 79.4 overs.
Marco Jansen was the standout bowler, taking four wickets in the second innings after his sensational seven-wicket haul in the first. Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, and Gerald Coetzee each took two wickets to seal the victory.
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With this comprehensive win, South Africa not only took a 1-0 lead in the series but also moved to second place in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 standings.
The Proteas, who started the match in fifth place with a 54.17% PCT, gained over 5 percentage points, climbing three spots with a current PCT of 59.26%.
The race at the top of the ICC World Test Championship standings is incredibly close, with teams competing fiercely. Here’s a breakdown of how the teams are positioned.
ICC World Test Championship 2025 Final – Where the teams stand in the WTC 2025 Final race
1. India – 61.11%
After a surprising 3-0 whitewash at home against New Zealand in October that dropped them a spot in the WTC standings, India made a strong comeback with a dominant win in Australia. A brilliant all-round performance in Perth has revived India’s chances of reaching their third consecutive WTC Final.
Remaining matches: Australia (away, four Tests)
Best possible finish: 69.30%
2. South Africa – 59.26%
South Africa continued their strong form from their series win against Bangladesh, securing a fantastic victory over Sri Lanka in the opening Test of their home season. This result propelled them above Australia, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka into second place in the WTC standings.
Remaining matches: Sri Lanka (home, one Test), Pakistan (home, two Tests)
Best Possible Finish: 69.44%
WTC Points Table
| Pos | Team | Played | Won | Lost | Draw | Ded | Points | PCT % |
| 1 | IND | 15 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 110 | 61.11 |
| 2 | SA | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 64 | 59.26 |
| 3 | AUS | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 90 | 57.69 |
| 4 | NZ | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 72 | 54.55 |
| 5 | SL | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 50.00 |
| 6 | ENG | 19 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 19 | 93 | 40.79 |
| 7 | PAK | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 40 | 33.33 |
| 8 | WI | 10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 26.67 |
| 9 | BAN | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 33 | 25.00 |
3. Australia – 57.69%
Australia, the defending World Test Championship winners, briefly reclaimed the top spot after India’s series loss to New Zealand but have now slipped to third following their defeat in the first Test against India. The win by South Africa in their opening Test against Sri Lanka also contributed to Australia’s fall in the standings.
Remaining matches: India (home, four Tests), Sri Lanka (away, two Tests)
Best Possible Finish: 71.05%
4. New Zealand – 54.55%
New Zealand’s historic series sweep in India has reignited their hopes of securing a second World Test Championship title. However, they still face a significant challenge in their final home series, which will determine their fate in the standings. Currently, they are in the midst of this crucial series, with everything to play for as they aim to secure a top-two finish and maintain their push for the final.
Remaining matches: England (home, three Tests)
Best Possible Finish: 64.29%
5. Sri Lanka – 50.00%
Sri Lanka had made a strong statement in their recent Test matches, with an impressive win over England in the third Test in England and a clean 2-0 sweep of New Zealand at home. These victories gave them confidence heading into their series in South Africa. However, a heavy defeat in the first Test in Durban has put them on the back foot. To stay in contention for the World Test Championship, they will need to bounce back in the second Test and adapt their strategies to salvage their chances.
Remaining matches: South Africa (away, one Test), Australia (home, two Tests)
Best Possible Finish: 61.54%
6. England – 40.79%
England’s recent defeats in Pakistan have dashed their hopes of reaching next year’s World Test Championship final. With just three Tests left in the cycle, they will look to end on a high by securing a series win against New Zealand.
Remaining matches: New Zealand (away, three Tests)
Best Possible Finish: 48.86%
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7. Pakistan – 33.33%
Pakistan, under new coach Jason Gillespie, has earned back-to-back Test wins but remains outside the top two in the standings. With six teams ahead of them, their chances of reaching the final are slim. Even if they win all four remaining Tests, they are unlikely to finish in the top spots. They first play South Africa in December, followed by two Tests at home against the West Indies in January.
Remaining matches: South Africa (away, two Tests), West Indies (home, two Tests)
Best Possible Finish: 52.38%
8. West Indies – 26.67%
The West Indies’ second World Test Championship cycle has been disappointing, with a single memorable victory over Australia in Brisbane in early 2024. After dropping significant points at home against India, they struggled in Australia, England, and against South Africa. Despite winning their opening match against Bangladesh, they still face an uphill battle to improve their standings, with their campaign concluding with two away Tests in Pakistan early next year.
Remaining matches: Bangladesh (home, one match), Pakistan (away, two matches)
Best Possible Finish: 43.59%
9. Bangladesh – 25.00%
Bangladesh’s Test loss to the West Indies has pushed them to the bottom of the WTC standings, with only one match left in their campaign. If they win the second Test against the West Indies, they will finish with a percentage of 31.25%, but this will not be enough to reach their first World Test Championship final.
Remaining matches: West Indies (away, one match)
Best Possible Finish: 31.25%
Who Are the Favourites to Reach the WTC Final?
India, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka are the key contenders for a spot in the WTC final.
After winning the first match of their five-Test tour in Australia, India needs to secure three victories from their remaining four matches to guarantee qualification for the World Test Championship final.
South Africa’s next three matches are crucial for their World Test Championship hopes. If they continue their strong performances and win all the three matches, they will be in a secure position to qualify for the final, regardless of how other teams perform.
Although Australia are currently trailing 1-0 in the home Border-Gavaskar series, they will also play two additional Tests in Sri Lanka next year. This means they could still potentially draw 2-2 with India and remain in the hunt for a spot in the World Test Championship final.
New Zealand will need to win all of their remaining three Tests to have a shot at making it to the World Test Championship final. To stay in contention, they will need to replicate their earlier success in India by securing victories at home against England.
A big loss in Durban has forced Sri Lanka to reassess their strategy and focus on bouncing back in the second Test. If they manage to secure a win and continue their form, they could still challenge for a top-two finish in the WTC final, especially if they clinch the series against Australia at home.
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