WTC Table: New Zealand Tiers Above India After Beating England In Oval Test

New Zealand received major boost in WTC table [Source: AFP]

After losing the Lord's Test by a big margin, New Zealand bounced back remarkably in the Test series against England, defeating the home side by 253 runs in the penultimate affair at The Oval. 

Led by Tom Latham, New Zealand set a mammoth target of 463 runs before dismantling the Englishmen for 209 in their second innings. 

Riding on Matt Henry's six-wicket haul and an impressive spell from Kyle Jamieson, the BlackCaps not only stayed alive in the series but also made significant progress in the ICC WTC table, taking a sizeable lead from their inaugural WTC final opponents, India. 

Updated ICC WTC table after New Zealand's massive win vs England

(WTC points table after New Zealand's win over England in Oval Test, 2026)

The New Zealand cricket team swatted aside their English counterparts by 253 runs in the second Test of the ongoing three-match series. 

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The BlackCaps' remarkable win helped them add twelve points to their tally and improve their PCT by a considerable margin in the WTC table. 

Currently, New Zealand are placed fourth with a PCT of 66.67, while England retained their seventh position despite a heavy defeat in the second Test. 

The Englishmen witnessed their PCT getting reduced to 34.72. However, they still are in a considerably better place than Pakistan and West Indies, the only teams whose PCTs are in single digits. 

What is India's position in WTC table?

According to the updated World Test Championship standings, India are positioned sixth in the nine-team points table. The Shubman Gill-led team have a PCT of 48.15, which is significantly less than the top four ranked teams- Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and New Zealand. 

Notably, India have played nine matches, winning only four of them in the current WTC cycle. With nine more matches left, India must assess their grey areas and maintain an unbeaten streak to challenge their competitors, including New Zealand. 

Interestingly, India and New Zealand will cross swords in two Test matches in November this year. With the race to the WTC final heating up, the outcome of the India vs New Zealand Test series could be decisive in determining which teams make the cut for the marquee clash. 

Which teams are the frontrunners to play WTC final?

The updated WTC table after New Zealand's phenomenal win against England suggests that Australia and South Africa have a golden opportunity to feature in the WTC final for the second consecutive time. 

Australia are the table-toppers with a PCT of 87.50, while defending champions South Africa are placed second on the WTC table with a PCT of 75. 

Sri Lanka and New Zealand have the exact same PCT (66.67), with India and Bangladesh also competing for a wildcard entry in the WTC final. 

England's chances for WTC final further diminish after Oval Test defeat

Talking about England, they have never qualified for the WTC final despite hosting the ultimate clash on three consecutive occasions. 

The fact that England play significantly more matches than the other teams makes it a daunting task for them to maintain a healthy PCT at the end of each cycle. 

Their defeat in the second Test against New Zealand slashed England's PCT to 34.72, shattering their hopes of qualifying for the WTC final once again. 

As the top six teams have much better PCTs than them, England's chances of playing the WTC 2027 final are bleak at the moment. 

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