ICC WTC 2023-25: A saga of strange wins and shocking defeats

The 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship has been running interestingly from the early period of this competition cycle. We have already experienced many historic results that make this WTC cycle stunning in Test cricket history.

New Zealand tour of Bangladesh 2023/24

• The Test series started with Bangladesh’s 150-run win in the Sylhet Test. While it was the second Test win for Bangladesh against New Zealand, it was also their first home Test win against New Zealand. Previously, Bangladesh drew three home Tests and lost three home Tests against New Zealand. However, New Zealand levelled the series by winning the second or last Test by four wickets. 

 

Freedom Trophy 2023/24: India tour of South Africa 

• It was a two-match Test series. After South Africa won the first Test by an innings and 32 runs at Centurion, India levelled the series by winning the last Test by seven wickets at Cape Town. It was India’s first Test win at Newlands, Cape Town, after previously recording two draws and four defeats. 

• In the meantime, it was the second time when India drew or didn’t lose a Test series in South Africa. Their previous Test series draw in South Africa was recorded in the 2010/11 season, where the three-match Test series ended by 1-1. India lost all other five Test series in South Africa.  

 

Frank Worrell Trophy 2023/24: West Indies tour of Australia

• It was a two-match Test series between the hosts Australia and the visitors West Indies. Australia took a 1-0 lead in the series after winning the first Test at Adelaide by 10 wickets. The Gabba, Brisbane, hosted the second Test of the series, where Australia lost only one Test (against India in 2021) since 1989. It was also a day/night pink ball Test match, where West Indies surprised everyone by winning the Test by eight runs. It was West Indies' first Test win against Australia after the 2003 St. John’s Test victory and the first Test win in Australia after the 1997 Perth Test victory. Meanwhile, West Indies previously won a Test match at the Gabba, Brisbane, in 1988.

• The Brisbane day/night pink-ball Test defeat was also Australia’s first day/night pink-ball Test defeat. Before that shocking defeat, Australia won all their previous 11 day/night pink-ball Tests. 

• After the 1999 home Test series draw, West Indies lost nine consecutive Test series against Australia before the latest Test series draw in Australia. On the other hand, after winning the 1992 Test series in Australia, West Indies lost six straight Test series in Australia before their latest away Test series draw.  
  

 

Anthony de Mello Trophy 2023/24: England tour of India

• It was the five-match Test series between the hosts India and the visitors England. England won the first Test by 28 runs at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad. It was India’s first Test defeat at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, while they previously won four Tests and drew one Test at this venue. However, India won the Test series by 4-1 after winning all the next four Tests. 

 

Tangiwai Shield 2023/24: South Africa tour of New Zealand 

• It was a two-match Test series between the hosts New Zealand and the visitors South Africa. Mount Maunganui and Hamilton hosted the Test matches, where the hosts New Zealand won by 281 runs and seven wickets, respectively. While New Zealand won the Test series by 2-0, it was their first Test series win against South Africa. Previously, South Africa won 13 Test series against New Zealand and drew four Test series. 

 

Bangladesh tour of Pakistan 2024

• Before this Test series, Bangladesh never won a Test match against Pakistan. In 13 previous Test matches against Pakistan, Bangladesh lost 12 and drew once. However, Bangladesh won both the Test matches against Pakistan in the two-match Test series at Rawalpindi. After winning the first Test by 10 wickets, the visitors won the second Test by six wickets. 

• Bangladesh not only created history by winning a Test match in the series, but they also won the Test series by 2-0. After losing six consecutive Test series against Pakistan, Bangladesh finally recorded their first Test series win against Pakistan. 

 

England tour of Pakistan 2024/25  

• It was the three-match Test series between the hosts Pakistan and the visitors England. After England won the first Test by an innings and 47 runs at Multan, Pakistan won the second Test by 152 runs at Multan. It was Pakistan’s first home Test win since March 2022. Before that Test victory, Pakistan lost seven Tests and drew four Tests at home. 

• Rawalpindi hosted the last Test of the series, and Pakistan won the Test series by 2-1. It was the first time that Pakistan won a home Test series after trailing.

• Also, it was the second time that Pakistan won a Test series after trailing̣. During their Zimbabwe tour in 1994/95, Pakistan won the Test series by 2-1 after losing the Test series opener. 

 

New Zealand tour of India 2024/25

• It was the three-match Test series between the hosts India and the visitors New Zealand. New Zealand won the first Test of the series by eight wickets at Bengaluru. It was New Zealand’s first Test win in India since December 1988. Before this win, New Zealand drew nine Tests and lost 10 Tests in India. 

• By winning the second Test by 113 runs at Pune, New Zealand recorded their first Test series win in India. New Zealand recorded their maiden Test series victory after 10 Test series defeats and two Test series draws in India. 

• It was India’s first Test series defeat since March 2022. During this period, India recorded six Test series wins and one Test series draw.

• It was India’s first Test series defeat at home since 2013. After losing the home Test series against England in late 2012, India won 18 successive home Test series before losing the latest home Test series against New Zealand. 

• India lost the three-match home Test series by 3-0. It was India’s first whitewash suffer in the home Test series with three or more Tests. Previously, India suffered a home Test series whitewash with two matches only once during the two-match home Test series against South Africa in 2000.