World Test Championship Points Table: Updated WTC Standings Following England's Series-Clinching Victory in Wellington

After being bowled out for just 125 in their first innings, New Zealand struggled to show much resistance in their second innings. Set a daunting target of 583 to win by England, following impressive performances from Jacob Bethell and Ben Duckett, both scoring over 90, and Joe Root's century, New Zealand entered Lunch on day three already four wickets down.

The day's only notable resistance came from Tom Blundell, who scored his fifth Test century, pushing New Zealand past the 200 mark. Nathan Smith also chipped in with a solid lower-order performance, achieving his highest Test score of 42 before edging behind Ben Stokes. However, the rest of the batting lineup faltered, with Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse dismantling the top order with the new ball. Gus Atkinson and Shoaib Bashir contributed crucial breakthroughs in the middle, and Stokes wrapped up the tail with three wickets in just three overs, securing England’s first series win in New Zealand since 2008 with a 323-run victory.

This defeat means New Zealand is now out of contention for a spot in next year's World Test Championship final. Their chances had already taken a hit after losing to England in the first Test in Christchurch and receiving a points deduction for slow over-rates in that match. The race is now left between India, South Africa, Australia, and Sri Lanka for a place in the prestigious event at Lord's in 2025.

Although England is also mathematically out of the running for the final, their win has propelled them past New Zealand in the standings, placing them in fifth with a Points Percentage (PCT) of 45.24.