England scripted World Test Championship (WTC) history after registering the most number of wins in the last five and a half years since the biennial ICC event began in red-ball cricket. England went past India’s 31 victories after they decimated the inaugural WTC champions New Zealand to win the second Test of the three-match series, thereby taking a 2-0 win. The 323-run victory was England’s 32nd in WTC history.
England have also played the most number of matches in WTC history (64) but given their treacherous run in the longest format before Ben Stokes, Brendon McCullum and Co took over, 50 per cent winning percentage is quite an achievement given they play so many games every single year.
Australia are in third place with 29 wins in 48 matches. Australia beat India by 10 wickets in the second Test of the five-match series to inch closer to the two-time finalists and England.
Most wins in the World Test Championship (WTC) history
32 – England (in 64 matches)
31 – India (in 53 matches)
29 – Australia (in 48 matches)
18 – New Zealand (in 38 matches)
18 – South Africa (in 38 matches)
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With three Tests remaining in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, both India and Australia are expected to jostle for the second spot, even the top one if New Zealand manage to avoid a whitewash in the series finale against England.
This was the third straight WTC cycle where England failed to reach the final. After the 1-4 loss to India at the start of the year, England needed to go 12 in 12 in their remaining four Test assignments throughout the year. England beat the West Indies 3-0 and won a couple of Tests against Sri Lanka at home before the visitors avoided the sweep to all but end the hosts’ chances of qualifying for the final.
If that wasn’t enough, Pakistan beat England 2-1 at home to end England’s contention. India, Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka are the only four teams remaining in contention for a spot in WTC 2025 final.
