Australia tighten WTC grip after 214-run win; South Africa drop to third
Synopsis
Josh Hazlewood's career-best 6 for 49 and Matt Renshaw's twin masterclass sealed a 214-run win for Australia in Durban — and the WTC table has been turned on its head. South Africa, the defending champions, have slipped to third; New Zealand are now Australia's closest chasers. Temba Bavuma's world record of going unbeaten as captain in 12 consecutive Tests is over.
Key Takeaways
Australia beat South Africa by 214 runs at Kingsmead, Durban on 13 October to tighten their WTC lead.
Josh Hazlewood took career-best figures of 6 for 49 ; Matt Renshaw scored 190 and 82 and took 2 wickets .
Australia's WTC PCT rises to 81.82 (11 matches, 9 wins); South Africa's drops to 60 (5 matches, 3 wins).
South Africa fall from second to third ; New Zealand move up to second with a PCT of 72.22 .
Temba Bavuma loses his world record of being undefeated in 12 straight Tests as captain.
Pakistan remain bottom of the WTC table with a PCT of 4.63 , docked 19 points for slow over-rate offences.
Australia have further cemented their position at the summit of the World Test Championship (WTC) standings, while South Africa slipped to third place after the Proteas suffered a 214-run defeat at Kingsmead, Durban on Tuesday, 13 October. The result reshuffles the top of a tightly contested nine-team table, with New Zealand moving up to second on the back of South Africa's loss.
Hazlewood and Renshaw Star in Durban
Josh Hazlewood was the decisive figure on Day 5, registering career-best figures of 6 for 49 to bowl the Proteas out for 206 and seal a commanding win. Matt Renshaw had laid the platform across both innings, contributing a stunning 190 in the first innings followed by an 82 in the second, and also chipped in with two wickets in South Africa's second dig. The all-round showing underlined Australia's depth across the squad.
Bavuma's Unbeaten Record Ends
The defeat carried a historic footnote: Temba Bavuma, South Africa's captain, had been unbeaten in 12 Tests as skipper — a world record for most undefeated Tests at the start of a captaincy — but that record came to an end in Durban. This was Bavuma's maiden defeat as Test captain, a milestone that adds a personal dimension to an already significant result.
WTC Points Table After Durban
Australia's victory pushes their PCT (percentage of points) to 81.82 from 11 matches (9 wins, 2 losses), up from 80 coming into the game. South Africa's PCT has tumbled from 75 to 60 from five matches (3 wins, 2 defeats), dropping them from second to third.
New Zealand now occupy second place with a PCT of 72.22 from six matches (4 wins, 1 loss, 1 draw). Bangladesh are fourth at 55.56 from six matches (3 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw). India sit fifth with five wins from 11 matches and a PCT of 51.52, while England are sixth with seven wins from 16 matches at a PCT of 38.54 — though the Three Lions have also been docked 14 points for slow-over offences.
Sri Lanka are seventh (PCT 33.33, six matches), West Indies eighth (PCT 20.83, 12 matches, docked 2 points), and Pakistan are propping up the table with a PCT of just 4.63 from nine matches — hampered by 19 points deducted for slow over-rate violations.
What This Means for the WTC Race
Australia's stranglehold on the top spot is growing increasingly difficult to loosen. Their PCT advantage over New Zealand is nearly 10 percentage points, and with South Africa now behind them on matches played, the Proteas face a steep climb to reclaim a final berth. India, whose WTC campaign has stuttered with four losses in 11 matches, will need a strong run in upcoming Tests to keep their qualification hopes realistic. The WTC final is scheduled for mid-2027, and the permutations are entering a critical phase for the chasing pack.
Point of View
Not incidental — an 81.82 PCT after 11 matches is the kind of cushion that turns a points race into a coronation. What makes Durban damaging for South Africa is timing: the defending champions have now played five matches and have lost two, meaning they must win the bulk of their remaining games at a high PCT to leapfrog both Australia and New Zealand. India's fifth-place standing with four losses in 11 outings is the bigger under-reported story; without a significant turnaround, a third straight WTC final appearance is slipping away. The points-deduction system is quietly distorting the lower half of the table — Pakistan's 4.63 PCT, inflated by 19 lost points, is as much an indictment of match-management culture as it is of results.
NationPress
13 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Australia's current WTC PCT after the Durban Test?
Australia's PCT stands at 81.82 after 11 matches, with nine wins and two losses. They came into the Durban Test at 80 PCT from 10 matches, and the 214-run victory further extended their lead at the top of the table.
Why did South Africa drop in the WTC standings?
South Africa fell from second to third in the WTC table after losing to Australia by 214 runs in Durban on 13 October. Their PCT dropped from 75 to 60 from five matches, allowing New Zealand (PCT 72.22) to leapfrog them into second place.
What was Josh Hazlewood's performance in the Durban Test?
Josh Hazlewood registered career-best bowling figures of 6 for 49 on Day 5, bowling South Africa out for 206 to seal Australia's 214-run win. It was the decisive spell of the match.
What record did Temba Bavuma lose in the Durban Test?
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma had held the world record for the most undefeated Tests as captain at the start of a tenure — going unbeaten in 12 consecutive matches as skipper. The Durban defeat ended that record, marking his maiden loss as Test captain.
Where does India stand in the WTC 2025-27 points table?
India are currently fifth in the WTC standings with five wins, four losses, and two draws from 11 matches, giving them a PCT of 51.52. They need to significantly improve their results to remain in contention for a place in the WTC final.
