Australia replace India at top of WTC standings after thrashing Pakistan in home Tests
Australia replace India at top of WTC standings after series win over Pakistan
Australia returned to the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) standings after completing a 3-0 series whitewash againstPakistan. With this, they replaced India at the top, who had attained the number one position following a record-breaking victory atNewlands in Cape Town earlier this week.
Here are the updated WTC rankings after the SCG Test –
Australia on Top in new WTC standings
The defending World Test Champions Australia began their new WTC cycle with a bang, winning the home Test series against Pakistan.
The Aussies found immense success the past year by winning their maiden WTC Final against India, drawing the away Ashes 2-2 and lifting their sixth world title in November – all under Pat Cummins’ captaincy.
With an eye on their next WTC title, the final of which is to be held in 2025, Australia stood tall against the visiting Pakistan Team. They first beat them convincingly in the curtain-raiser in Perth before narrowly winning the series with a victoryat the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
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While Pakistan had pride to play for in the final Test in Sydney, Australia had just one aim – to finish the series and start 2024 on a high, which they eventually did.
SCG Test was also veteran David Warner’s final match in whites, and he said goodbye in style. Though he got out on 33 in the first innings, Warner capped off his glorious Test career with a fifty in the final innings, helping Australia complete a 130-run chase with eight wickets remaining.
After the win over Pakistan, Australia will host West Indies for two Tests (starting January 17), three ODIs and as many T20Is.
The World Champions will then travel to New Zealand for five T20Is, starting on February 21.
Being the only team to have reached the WTC finals on both occasions, India continues to impress everyone with their exploits in this format outside of Asia.
During the recently concluded tour of South Africa, India drew the two-match series 1-1. They lost the first Test at the SuperSport Park in Centurion within three days before winning the New Year’s Test in Cape Town by seven wickets within two days – making it the shortest-ever Test in terms of balls bowled.
