World Test Championship – who can reach the final?

The race to make the World Test Championship final is hotting up.

With 14 Tests remaining in the 2023-2025 cycle, three teams are still in with a realistic chance of making it to Lord’s and playing for the right to be crowned World Test champions.

Holders Australia are still firmly in the mix, as are India – beaten finalists in the first two editions of the competition – and South Africa.

Defeats for Sri Lanka and New Zealand against South Africa and England respectively have all-but ended their hopes.

BBC Sport has taken a look at what they each require to clinch a top-two spot and progress to the final.

World Test Championship points table

How does the World Test Championship points system work?

Each World Test Championship cycle runs for two years. The current one began in June 2023 and finishes with the final in June 2025.

Teams play six series in that time – three at home and three away – with 12 points awarded for winning a match, six for a tie and four for a draw.

However, as teams play a different number of Tests across their six series, the table is ranked by percentage of points won.

So, a win (12 points) is 100%, a tie (six points) 50% and a draw (four points) 33.3%.

Meanwhile, sides can be deducted points for a slow over-rate.

World Test Championship schedule & fixtures

November 2024-January 2025: Australia v India (five-match series)

November-December 2024: West Indies v Bangladesh (two-match series)

November-December 2024: South Africa v Sri Lanka (two-match series)

November-December 2024: New Zealand v England (three-match series)

December 2024-January 2025: South Africa v Pakistan (two-match series)

January 2025: Pakistan v West Indies (two-match series)

January-February 2025: Sri Lanka v Australia (two-match series)

World Test Championship qualification scenarios

India (best possible finish: 69.30%)

India’s win in the first Test against Australia in Perth saw them return to the top of the table.

They need to win three of the four remaining Tests in that series to guarantee a place in the showpiece game next summer.

South Africa (best possible finish: 69.44%)

A win over Sri Lanka in the first Test has kept qualification in South Africa’s hands.

They have three games remaining and wins in them all would guarantee they reach the final.

Two wins and a draw or defeat may be enough but other results would come into the equation.

Australia (best possible finish: 67.65%)

The defeat against India saw Australia slip to second, before South Africa’s win over Sri Lanka saw them fall further.

Australia’s hopes are still in their own hands, though.

If they win five of their last six matches they will go to Lord’s and have the chance to defend their title.

Four wins could be enough but anything under five and other results become a factor.

New Zealand (best possible finish: 57.14%)

A historic series clean sweep in India kept New Zealand, Test champions in 2021, in with a chance of returning to the final.

However, defeat by England in the first Test has put them on the back foot and they can no longer reach 60%, which is likely to be key this time.

They need to win both remaining Tests in that series and hope other results go their way.

Sri Lanka (best possible finish: 61.54%)

Defeat by South Africa in the first Test of the series has put qualification out of Sri Lanka’s hands.

They need to win the second game, and hope other results go their way, to stay in contention going into the final series of the cycle against Australia.

England, Pakistan, Bangladesh and West Indies are no longer in contention to reach the final.

But, of course, it is worth noting that it could all change again if any side is deducted points for a slow over-rate, as five teams have in this cycle, including both England and Australia during the 2023 Ashes.

World Test Championship winners list

The World Test Championship was launched in 2019 by the International Cricket Council (ICC) so that each format of the game had a pinnacle tournament.

The previous winners are:

2019-2021: New Zealand (beating India)

2021-2023: Australia (beating India)

When is the World Test Championship final?

The 2025 World Test Championship final will take place at Lord’s in England. The five-day match is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, 11 June.

There will be ball-by-ball radio commentary available across the BBC.