For the first time in their World Test Championship (WTC) history, Bangladesh avoided the ignominy of sitting at bottom table in the point table.
The WTC which was introduced in 2019, is at its third cycle with the first two cycles finishing on 2019-2021 and 2021-2023. In both cycles, Bangladesh finished at bottom table.
But it is now confirmed that they would not finish at bottom table in 2023-2025. In fact it was confirmed following Pakistan's five-point penalty by the ICC.
Bangladesh produced some magical performances in the current cycle, having won a historic 2-0 away series win in Pakistan and 1-1 away to the West Indies. Overall Bangladesh won four and lost eight in 12 Tests in this cycle.
It's also the first time that they won more than one match in a cycle of WTC. Currently, Bangladesh sit in seventh position on the nine-team table with 31.25 percentage points. Pakistan are eighth with 24.31 percentage points and West Indies ninth with 24.24 percentage points. Bangladesh have no more matches left in this cycle (2023-25).
Pakistan were slashed match fees and also deducted World Test Championship points for failing to meet the minimum quota of overs in the allotted time during the second Test in Cape Town, an ICC press release said recently.
Pakistan players have been fined 25 percent of their match fee owing to a slow-over rate from the recently concluded second Test against South Africa in Newlands, Cape Town. —BSS
