A historic series sweep in India had bolstered New Zealand’s hope of claiming a potential second World Test Championship title but their chances took a severe hit following a loss to Ben Stokes’ England in the first Test in Christchurch.
New Zealand’s hopes were further dented after they were penalised three points for a slow over-rate in the first Test. As a result, they dropped to fifth in the standings, having previously shared fourth place with Sri Lanka.
The Black Caps’ woes continued when they suffered a big defeat in the second Test in Wellington, losing by 323 runs and slipping to sixth in the standings as England overtook them.
The two losses ended their hopes of qualifying for the final and despite a massive 423-run victory in the final Test, they are still only fourth on the current WTC25 standings list.
Remaining matches: Australia (home, two Tests)
Best Possible Finish: 53.85%
A head-turning victory over England in the third Test away followed by a 2-0 whitewash of New Zealand at home was the highlight of Sri Lanka’s recent Test returns, and the Island nation went to South Africa confidently.
However, a 2-0 series whitewash at the hands of the Proteas has significantly damaged Sri Lanka’s chances of reaching the WTC25 Final, leaving them needing several results to go their way for any hope of qualification.
