A clinical performance against Sri Lanka in the latter's backyard has helped Pakistan occupy the apex position on the points table of the ongoing World Test Championship Cycle 2023-25. The Babar Azam-led side routed the Lankan Lions by an innings and 222 runs in the second Test of the two-match series at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo on Thursday, July 27 and registered a convincing clean sweep 2-0.
Having elected to bat first after winning an important toss, the Dimuth Karunaratne-led side failed to make the most out of the batting-friendly conditions that were on offer at SSC and got bundled out for just 166 runs with just Dhananjaya de Silva putting up some sort of a fight against the Pakistan bowlers. Abrar Ahmed was the star with the ball for the visitors as he bagged a four-for and was ably supported by Naseem Shah who picked up a three-for.
Riding comfortably on a dazzling double ton from opener Abdullah Shafique and an unbeaten ton from Agha Salman, Pakistan posted a mammoth total of 576/5d. In reply, the island nation could only manage 188 runs in its second innings as left-arm orthodox spinner Noman Ali snared a seven-for to help the Babar Azam-led side win the encounter without breaking a sweat.
The commanding win in the second Test alongside the four-wicket victory that came in the first Test at Galle has helped Pakistan accumulate a total of 100.0 PCT (Points won by a team/ Points Contested). They have a total of 24 points in two games and are ahead of India as the latter have only won one game out of the two that they have contested thus far.
India have accumulated 16 points from their recent two-match series against the West Indies after the second Test at the Queen's Park Oval in Port-of-Spain ended in a draw due to inclement weather playing a part. The Rohit Sharma-led side has a total PCT of 66.67.
On the other hand, arch-rivals Australia and England, who are currently engaged in an arm-wrestle in the ongoing Ashes are placed third and fourth on the ladder. While Australia have 26 points in four games and a PCT of 54.17, the Ben Stokes-led side has aggregated a total of 14 points at a PCT of 29.17.
With the outcome of the final Ashes Test at The Oval still awaited, some significant movement on the points tally is expected. The West Indies and Sri Lanka occupy the bottom two slots with other countries still to play their opening encounters in the cycle.
World Test Championship 2023-25 Points Table
| Position |
Team |
Matches |
Won |
Lost |
Drawn |
NR |
Points |
PCT |
| 1 |
PAK |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
24 |
100.0 |
| 2 |
IND |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
16 |
66.67 |
| 3 |
AUS |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
26 |
54.17 |
| 4 |
ENG |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
14 |
29.17 |
| 5 |
WI |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
16.67 |
| 6 |
SL |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
