While the race for the final two spots in the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship points table is becoming a thriller as time progresses, New Zealand have recently received two huge blows. After losing their first game in a three-match home Test series against England, they now received another blow in the points table. 

Christchurch hosted the Test series opener between New Zealand and England, where England won by eight wickets. While New Zealand climbed to a challenging position in the ongoing WTC cycle points table after their historic whitewash against the hosts India in the three-match Test series, the Christchurch defeat was a blow for the Blackcaps, who are battling for the next WTC final. 

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England and New Zealand suffer three-point deduction

For maintaining a slow over-rate in the Christchurch Test, both England and New Zealand have been handed a deduction of three points each in the WTC points table and penalised 15 percent of the match fees from all players of the match. 

During the Christchurch Test, both teams were three overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. New Zealand captain Tom Latham and England captain Ben Stokes both have accepted the proposed sanction, which means that there is no need for a formal hearing. 

Despite the Christchurch Test win, England are out of contention for the next WTC final. They have earned 102 points in 20 games in this WTC cycle, while they also faced a total of 22 points deduction due to slow over rate. Their latest points percentage is 42.50, and they are standing in sixth place, just below New Zealand. 

After losing the Christchurch Test, the inaugural WTC winners New Zealand were struggling in joint fourth place with 72 points after 12 Tests, and the points percentage was 50.00, similar to Sri Lanka. Due to the latest deduction of three points, the Blackcaps slipped to fifth place with a points percentage of 47.92 (69 points).

India, South Africa, and Australia are the present top three

India are leading the ongoing WTC cycle points table with 110 points after 15 Tests with a points percentage of 61.11. South Africa have climbed to second place with a points percentage of 59.26 (64 points) after winning the Durban Test against Sri Lanka by 233 runs. Meanwhile, the defending champions Australia, are in third place with a points percentage of 57.69 (90 points).