New Zealand have surged to the pinnacle of the World Test Championship (WTC 2023-25) standings following an outstanding performance in the first Test against South Africa in Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui.
The Black Caps took no time to dismiss the Proteas for a mere 247 runs in the second innings, securing a commanding victory by an impressive margin of 281 runs. Rachin Ravindra was honoured as the Player of the Match for his exceptional all-round performance.
This triumph propelled New Zealand from the third position to the first in the rankings, accumulating a points percentage of 66.67% from three matches. On the other hand, South Africa have slipped from the fourth to the seventh position, with their points percentage decreasing to 33.33%.
As a consequence of New Zealand’s rise, both Australia and India have each dropped by one position in the ICC World Test Championship points table. Simultaneously, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and West Indies have advanced by one spot, benefitting from South Africa’s decline.