WTC 2023-25 Standings After NZ vs ENG 1st Test: Positions Remain Same, But England Dent New Zealand Hopes

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WTC Final 2025: England and New Zealand retained their positions in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 standings after the first Test of the three-match series, which took place at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Sunday (December 1).

Jacob Bethell's debut fifty and Brydon Carse's dominance with the ball helped England secure a dominating eight-wicket victory over New Zealand and the visitors also claimed a 1-0 lead in the series.

New Zealand started Day 04 at 155/6 at Hagley Oval, with a four-run lead against England. The Kiwis added 99 runs to their overnight total. Daryl Mitchell (84) displayed a stunning performance with the bat and had support from Nathan Smith (21) and other tailenders on the way.

However, Brydon Carse, who picked three of the four remaining wickets helping himself to career-best figures of 6/42, ensured that England had to chase only 104 to secure a win in the Christchurch Test.

The chase wasn't a problem for the Three Lions as New Zealand bowling failed to create any threat on the fourth day at Hagley Oval. Jacob Bethell led the English batting lineup during the chase and slammed a scintillating unbeaten fifty on his debut, with just 37 balls.

With the win, England improved their World Test Championship (WTC) point percentage to 43.75, even though they won't be able to qualify for the WTC Final at Lord's. Despite the result, England still remained in sixth on the WTC table.

New Zealand, on the other hand, retained their fourth position in the World Test Championship standings with a point percentage of 50.00 per cent, but suffered a big dent in their quest for a second WTC final spot.

The Kiwis will look to bounce back when they face England in the remainder of the Test series, but their qualification for the Lord's final next year is no longer only in their hands. Here is a look at the latest WTC standings:

WTC 2023-25 Standings After NZ vs ENG 1st Test on November 30, 2024

The top three teams in the WTC final race - India, South Africa and Australia - will all be in action in the coming days. While Australia take on India in a direct fight for a spot, South Africa face fellow hopefuls Sri Lanka before they host Pakistan later this month.

West Indies and Bangladesh, who are both out of contention lock horns in the Caribbean, are also be in red ball action. Here is a look at the Test matches of the WTC 2023-25 cycle scheduled for the month of December:

WTC Matches Schedule For December 2024

• December 5-9: South Africa vs Sri Lanka 2nd Test - Gqeberha
• December 6-10: New Zealand vs England 2nd Test - Wellington
• December 6-10: India vs Australia 2nd Test (D/N) - Adelaide
• December 14-18: New Zealand vs England 3rd Test - Hamilton
• December 14-18: India vs Australia 3rd Test - Brisbane
• December 26-30: India vs Australia 4th Test - Melbourne
• December 26-30: South Africa vs Pakistan 1st Test - Centurion