5 teams including Pakistan are out of the race for WTC Final… Know which 4 teams are competing now, who is challenging India

New Delhi. The race for the final of the ICC World Test Championship 2025 is now becoming clear. 5 teams including Pakistan are now almost out of the race for the final. If there is no major upset then the hopes of New Zealand and England are also over. On the other hand, South Africa is moving forward strongly to prevent India and Australia from reaching the finals. Let us see what is the state of the WTC final race a day before the start of India-New Zealand second Test and Pakistan-England third Test.

In the points table of the World Test Championship 2025, India is at first, Australia at second and Sri Lanka at third. All these three teams are strong in the race for the finals. The path to the final for the fourth and fifth placed teams i.e. New Zealand and England is now entangled in so many equations of ifs and buts that even their die-hard fans have now lost hope. Pakistan, Bangladesh and West Indies are also out of the race now.

New Zealand’s hopes entangled in equations
New Zealand has to play 5 test matches in the WTC 2023-25 ​​cycle. Two against India and three against England at home. If New Zealand wins all these five matches, its winning percentage in the WTC points table will remain only 64.29. Firstly, it is difficult for him/her to win all five matches. Secondly, India, Australia, Sri Lanka and South Africa can still reach 64.29 winning percentage. Obviously the path to New Zealand is difficult. If he/she loses even one match out of 5, his/her winning percentage in the WTC points table will drop below 60.00.

Pakistan’s expectations fulfilled
Pakistan team is at eighth position in the WTC points table with 25.93 winning percentage. Now he/she has only 3 matches left in the WTC 2025 cycle. Even if he/she wins all three, he/she cannot reach 60.00 winning percentage. It is clear that Pakistan’s dream of playing the WTC final has been shattered for the third consecutive time.

England-Bangladesh also out of the race
The England team is at fifth position in the WTC points table with 43.06 winning percentage. Now only 4 matches are left in the WTC 2025 cycle. Even if he/she wins all four, he/she cannot reach 60.00 winning percentage. Even if Bangladesh wins its remaining four matches, it cannot reach 60.00 winning percentage. That means England and Bangladesh are now out of the race for the WTC final. West Indies is at the last position i.e. ninth in the points table. Like England-Bangladesh, it too is now out of the race for the WTC final.

India is facing challenge
The Indian team is at number one in the WTC points table. But it has been shocked by losing the first test to New Zealand. Now he/she will have to win at least 4 out of 7 remaining matches in the current cycle of the championship. If the Indian team wins less than 4 matches then South Africa can come first or second in the points table. Australia is also a contender to be in the top-2. In such a situation, Team India will have to play with full strength and caution in the remaining matches.

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