A Test win is worth 12 points, a tie is worth six and a draw is worth four, with nothing for a defeat. But the World Test Championship table is not ranked by total points. Teams are ranked by the percentage of the points available to them that they have actually won, because they do not all play the same number of Tests. That single rule shapes everything about the championship, from how captains approach the final session of a match to which two teams reach the final.

The championship is the International Cricket Council's league for Test cricket. Nine teams play series against each other over a two-year cycle, and the top two at the end meet in a one-off final in England. The current cycle runs from June 2025 to June 2027, and the final will be played at The Oval in London from 9 to 13 June 2027. The 2025 final was won by South Africa, who beat Australia by five wickets at Lord's.

How many points is a Test win worth?

Every Test in the championship is worth the same 12 points, whatever the length of the series. A win takes all 12, a tie takes six, a draw takes four and a defeat takes nothing. A two-match series is therefore worth 24 points in total and a five-match series is worth 60, but each individual Test counts exactly the same as every other.

That was not always the case. In the first cycle, from 2019 to 2021, each series was worth 120 points divided equally among its matches, so a Test in a two-match series was worth 60 points for a win while one in a five-match series was worth only 24. The ICC changed the system for the second cycle, announcing the move on 14 July 2021. Its acting chief executive at the time, Geoff Allardice, said the feedback was that the previous points system needed to be simplified, and the same 12, six and four system has been used ever since, including in the current 2025-27 cycle.

How is the points percentage worked out?

The points percentage, usually shown as PCT, is a team's points won divided by the points it could have won, multiplied by 100. The maximum is 12 times the number of Tests the team has played. A team that has won three and drawn one of four Tests has 40 points from 48 available, or 83.33 per cent. A team that has won five, drawn two and lost three of ten Tests has 68 points from 120 available, or 56.67 per cent, and sits below the first team despite having more points in total.

The percentage exists because the fixture list is not equal. Each of the nine teams plays six series in a cycle, three at home and three away, but they play different opponents and different numbers of Tests. One team might play 12 Tests in a cycle while another plays 19. Ranking by total points would reward the team that simply played more cricket, so the ICC ranks by the share of available points won instead.

What do slow over rates cost?

Teams must bowl their overs at the required rate, and for each over a side is short at the end of a Test it loses one championship point. The deduction comes off the points won but not off the points available, so it hits the percentage directly. Under Article 16.11.2 of the playing conditions, the penalty applies in addition to any fine.

Over-rate deductions have already moved the table in this cycle. England lost 12 points after the Oval Test against New Zealand in June 2026. Pakistan have been hit harder than anyone: the ICC deducted 19 points from their total, leaving them with five points from nine Tests, or 4.63 per cent. Pakistan won two of those nine Tests, which earned 24 points, but the 19-point deduction left them with five from a possible 108.

Who is top of the table?

As of 13 October 2026, after Australia beat South Africa by 214 runs at Durban, the standings were: Australia on 81.82 per cent from 11 Tests, New Zealand on 72.22, South Africa on 60.00, Bangladesh on 55.56, India on 51.52, England on 38.54, Sri Lanka on 33.33, West Indies on 20.83 and Pakistan on 4.63. The table has moved since then: in the ICC's 31 October 2026 update, New Zealand led with four wins from six Tests and 72.22 per cent of points, just ahead of South Africa and Australia.

The nine teams in the championship are Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies. Each plays six of the other eight sides, so no team faces every other team in a cycle. That is one of the main criticisms of the format, along with the fact that the draw is worth only a third of a win, which gives a team chasing a final place little reason to bat out a match and every reason to gamble on victory.

What happens in the final?

After the last series of the cycle, the two teams with the highest points percentage meet in a one-off Test final. The 2027 final will be played at The Oval from Wednesday 9 June to Sunday 13 June, with 14 June held as a reserve day. The Oval previously staged the 2023 final, when Australia beat India to lift the mace, and the 2025 final was held at Lord's.

If the final is drawn or tied, the title is shared between the two finalists. There is no second final and no countback. The first final, in 2021 at Southampton, was won by New Zealand, who beat India by eight wickets. Australia won the second in 2023, and South Africa won the third in 2025, ending a long wait for a major ICC trophy.

What does it mean for Pakistan?

Pakistan's position shows how punishing the percentage system can be. With only 4.63 per cent from nine Tests, they sit last, and even a 2-0 home series win over Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi would add only 24 points. Because the percentage counts points won against points available, every Test Pakistan have already played still counts in the denominator, so climbing the table takes a long run of wins rather than one good series.

The same maths works in the other direction for the teams at the top. New Zealand's 72.22 per cent comes from four wins in six Tests, and South Africa and Australia are close behind, so a single defeat in the remaining series could still change who reaches The Oval. With most of the cycle still to play, including home series in Australia, South Africa and India and England's 2027 series against Australia, the final places are far from settled.

Frequently asked questions

How many points is a Test win worth in the World Test Championship? Twelve points. A tie is worth six and a draw is worth four, and teams are ranked by the percentage of points won, not by their total.

Do all teams play the same number of Tests? No. Each team plays six series, three at home and three away, but the series are of different lengths, so teams play different numbers of Tests. That is why the table uses the points percentage.

What happens if a team bowls its overs too slowly? It loses one championship point for every over it is short at the end of the Test, on top of any fine. The deduction comes off points won, not points available.

How many teams play in the World Test Championship? Nine: Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

When is the next World Test Championship final? The 2025-27 cycle ends with a final at The Oval in London from 9 to 13 June 2027, with 14 June as a reserve day. If the final is drawn or tied, the trophy is shared.