WTC: How does World Test Championship points table work?

Australia and South Africa all set to meet at Lord’s for the ultimate Test as they are WTC finalists for current cycle, but have you ever thought about how WTC points table works?

For the WTC 2025 final, two finalists are onboard, first, South Africa, who secured their ticket after back-to-back series wins, first against Sri Lanka and then against Pakistan. Then, after a gruelling series against India, Australia became the second team by defeating India 3-1. Now, both teams are all set for the WTC final at Lord’s. For Australia, it will be their second time in the final, the first being in 2023 when they thumped India and won the mace. For South Africa, it will be the biggest moment, as a team that has shown recent improvement, and they deservedly got the ticket.

However, some feel that South Africa’s path was easier compared to other qualified team. India, who were in contention for a long time until the end of the Bangladesh series, which they won 2-0, but after that played 8 games, lost 7, and won just one. As a result, after spending a long time on top, they slipped and ended their current WTC cycle at 50.00 points. But have you ever wondered how the WTC points table functions? What are the main components that decide the WTC finalists? Take a look at all the crucial details of the WTC points table and see how it works.

In simpler terms, the WTC table works on points, rankings, percentage points, and docked points—these are the main components of the table, which change after every game in the cycle. Teams earn 12 points for a win, 4 points for a draw, and 6 points for a tie. Also, if a team fails to maintain the required over rate, they are penalised by being docked 1 point for each over they fall short. However, what is most important is the percentage points, which play a significant role in a team’s ranking.

The process of calculating percentage points involves dividing the total points earned by a team by the total points they could have earned across all matches. Initially, this system confused many, and several players questioned how it actually works. Good example is Ben Stokes, who found it a bit difficult to understand. But to ensure competition among all the teams in the WTC cycle, this measure is currently giving fruitful results for the ICC. Fans now feel that there is a tangible reward for a team performing well in Tests.

Updated WTC Points Table

Pos	Team	Played	Won	Lost	Draw	Ded	Points	PCT
1	South Africa (Q1)	12	8	3	1	0	100	69.44
2	Australia (Q2)	17	11	4	2	10	130	63.73
3	India	19	9	8	2	2	114	50
4	New Zealand	14	7	7	0	3	81	48.21
5	Sri Lanka	11	5	6	0	0	60	45.45
6	England	22	11	10	1	22	114	43.18
7	Bangladesh	12	4	8	0	3	45	31.25
8	Pakistan	12	4	8	0	13	35	24.31
9	West Indies	11	2	7	2	0	32	24.24