England Slide To Sixth On WTC 2023-25 Points Table After Shocking Defeat Against Sri Lanka In 3rd Test – News18
England has dropped to No. 6 position in the WTC 2023-25 points table. (Picture Credit: AFP)
Sri Lanka chased down the target of 219 runs in 40.3 overs to win the third and final Test of the series against England by 8 wickets at the Oval on Monday.
Sri Lanka beat England by 8 wickets in the third and final Test of the three-match series played at The Oval on Monday (September 9). Sri Lanka chased down the target of 219 runs in the fourth inning on Day 4 of the match for the loss of only two wickets. Opening batter Pathum Nissanka top-scored for the Dhananjaya de Silva-led side by remaining unbeaten on 127 runs from 124 balls. During his stay at the crease, the right-handed batter scored 13 fours and two sixes. He added 111 runs for the third wicket with Angelo Matthews (32 not out) to take Sri Lanka past the finish line in 40.3 overs.
The win over England at the Oval not only helped Sri Lanka avoid the series whitewash, but it has also helped the islanders pip England in the World Test Championship points table and move to No. 5 position. Sri Lanka now has 42.86 PCT%. On the other hand, England has now dropped to No. 6 position (42.19 PCT%) after losing its first Test of the summer.
England, which suffered a 1-4 defeat in the five-match Test series played against India earlier this year, had whitewashed the West Indies in July, and after that they managed to win the first two Tests against Sri Lanka as well. However, in the final match of the tour played at the Oval, Sri Lanka made a super comeback on Day 3 by dismissing England for 156 runs in the 2nd inning.
Rohit Sharma-led Team India, which will face Bangladesh in a two-match Test series from next week, sits at the No. 1 position in the WTC 2023-25 points table. The two-time WTC losing finalists have 68.52 PCT%, and they are followed by 2023 winners Australia (62.50 PCT%).
2021 WTC winners New Zealand is in third position with 50.00 PCT%, whereas Bangladesh is in 4th place (45.83 PCT%) after securing back-to-back wins over Pakistan at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Sri Lanka’s rise in the points table also means that South Africa has now dropped to No. 7 position again, and they are followed by Pakistan (19.05) and the West Indies (18.52).
The final of 2023-25 WTC is scheduled to take place at Lord’s in June 2025.
