South Africa has surged to second place in the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle with a points percentage (PCT) of 71.43, following a crucial series victory against Australia. This result, combined with West Indies’ recent win over Bangladesh, has widened the gap between the top three teams and the rest of the field. New Zealand has ascended to the top of the table at 72.22 PCT, successfully pushing Australia out of the top two spots for the first time this cycle. Before the South Africa tour, Australia were on top of the table with 80 PCT, with eight wins and just two defeats from ten matches.
With ten Test series remaining among nine teams, the final lineup for the WTC championship remains wide open. The league uses a points percentage system to determine standings, where teams earn 12 points for a win, 4 for a draw, and 6 for a tie. The PCT is calculated by dividing total points earned by the points contested, multiplied by 100. No team has booked its place in the final yet, with 10 Test series among nine teams still to go in this current WTC cycle.
New Zealand faces a demanding path with ten Tests remaining.
To secure a strong chance of reaching their second WTC final, the Blackcaps likely need to win at least seven of their final ten matches to push their percentage above 70%.
Their upcoming home fixtures against India and Sri Lanka will be pivotal. South Africa’s position is bolstered by having five of their seven remaining matches at home. Should they achieve clean sweeps in their upcoming series against Bangladesh and England, they could exceed 71.42 PCT, a mark that would likely secure a spot in the final. Home), ENG (3 Tests, home), SL (2 Tests, away), remaining fixtures: BAN (2 Tests. Home), SA (2 Tests, away), ENG (2 Tests, home), remaining fixtures: WI (1 Test.
Australia finds itself in an unfamiliar position after two successive defeats, holding a 69.23 PCT. While they have lost their top-two status, their qualification remains in their own hands. They face significant challenges, including a home series against New Zealand and an away trip to India for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in early 2027. To qualify, Australia must win at least six of their nine remaining matches.
India, currently sitting fourth with 51.52 PCT following a draw in Colombo, has seven matches left. A perfect run would lift them to 70.37 PCT, while five wins and a draw might require help from other results to finish in the top two. A 0-2 loss in New Zealand combined with a 5-0 sweep of Australia would only leave them at 59.26 PCT, which might be insufficient. Then they will have a strong chance for a top-two finish, while seven wins and three losses would take them to 70.83%.
Bangladesh’s defeat in Dhaka has dropped them to fifth place at 47.62 PCT. They must win all five of their remaining matches to surpass the 65% mark; losing even one more game would leave them at 61.11%, falling short of the required threshold. Similarly, Sri Lanka remains on the fringes with 33.33 PCT. With six Tests left, they must win every remaining fixture to reach 66.67 PCT, which could potentially be enough depending on other outcomes in the table. If they win 6 Tests, they will finish on 64.6, which might not be enough, of the remaining 120 points. Which might not be sufficient, four wins will take Proteas to 64.28 PCT.
