England defeated Sri Lanka in Manchester, while Bangladesh triumphed over Pakistan in Rawalpindi on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Here's how the World Test Championship standings have been affected by these results.
Both Test matches commenced on August 21, with England's match against Sri Lanka concluding in just four days. After dismissing Sri Lanka for 236 in their first innings, England secured a 122-run lead, bolstered by Jamie Smith's maiden Test century (111).
Sri Lanka found themselves in trouble at 95-4 in their third innings but managed to set a target of 205 for the hosts, thanks to Kamindu Mendis (113) and Dinesh Chandimal (79). England's chase was steered by Joe Root, who remained unbeaten on 62, leading them to a five-wicket victory.
In Rawalpindi, Pakistan batted first on day one, though rain interruptions cut the day short. They eventually declared on day two at 448-6, with wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan scoring an unbeaten 171. In response, Bangladesh batted resolutely, amassing 565 runs, led by Mushfiqur Rahim's 191.
On day five, Bangladesh's bowlers took nine wickets in under two sessions, dismissing Pakistan for a mere 146. Openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam then chased down the required 30 runs in just 6.3 overs.
These results have led to significant changes in the points table. England have climbed from sixth to fourth place, pushing Sri Lanka down to fifth. Despite the win, England's chances of reaching the WTC final remain slim.
Sri Lanka, like England, are still mathematically in contention for the final but face a challenging path ahead.
World Test Championship Points Table
Bangladesh's victory over Pakistan, their first-ever against this opponent, has reshaped the points table. They are now level with Sri Lanka on points percentage, at 40%, and have moved up to sixth, overtaking both Pakistan and South Africa.
Meanwhile, Pakistan have slipped to second from the bottom and are now winless in their last nine home Test matches.
