Pakistan Drop to Bottom of WTC Table After England Loss

-



Pakistan's Test Cricket Woes Deepen After Innings Defeat to England, Drop to Bottom of WTC Table

The Pakistan Times — Islamabad, August 22, 2026

Pakistan's Test cricket crisis just got a lot worse. After being thrashed by an innings and 103 runs at Headingley, they've now slipped below even the West Indies to sit dead last on the World Test Championship 2025-27 points table, with a points percentage of just 19.05, the worst of any team currently competing.

How Bad Was the Defeat

Put simply, this wasn't close at any stage. Pakistan won the toss, chose to bowl, and still ended up on the losing end by a landslide. England piled up 409 in their first innings, powered by four separate half-centuries from Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Joe Root, and Dan Lawrence, building a massive 238-run lead after bowling Pakistan out for just 171 first time around. Pakistan's second innings barely lasted, folding for 135 in only 37.3 overs. Mohammad Rizwan's 41 was the only real resistance, everyone else around him struggled to get going. England's pace trio of Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, and Josh Tongue shared the wickets between them, with Robinson and Tongue both finishing with eight-wicket match hauls, career-best figures for each of them.

What This Means on the WTC Table

Pakistan now sit ninth, the bottom spot, with 16 points from seven Tests and a PCT of 19.05, a number made worse by an earlier eight-point deduction for a slow over-rate offence. West Indies, who Pakistan had actually drawn a series with not long ago, have now leapfrogged them entirely. Realistically, Pakistan's hopes of qualifying for the WTC final are already finished for this cycle. England, despite the dominant win, still only sit seventh themselves, since their points percentage moved up to 29.76 but wasn't enough to climb past the teams above them, Australia continue to lead comfortably at the top with a PCT of 77.78, followed by South Africa in second.

Questions Being Asked About the Team

This defeat has reopened a lot of familiar criticism about Pakistan's Test set-up. The side was already missing regular captain Babar Azam, who sat out with a hand injury, leaving Salman Ali Agha to lead in his place. Beyond the missing captain though, it's really the batting collapse that's drawing the most scrutiny, being bowled out twice for under 175 runs against a disciplined but not unbeatable English attack raises real questions about technique and temperament against the moving ball in English conditions. Former captain Mohammad Rizwan himself came under criticism for some unusual decision-making during the innings, adding another layer to what's already been a rough few days for Pakistan's cricket followers.

What Comes Next

Pakistan now have to regroup fast, with the second Test starting at Lord's on August 27, just days away. A series defeat is already looking likely at 0-1 down with two matches left, but avoiding a whitewash and salvaging some pride will be the immediate priority heading into that next match. Whether the middle order can find some fight, and whether Babar Azam is fit to return, are probably the two biggest questions hanging over the squad as they try to respond.

Read More:

France vs Spain: A Battle of Football Philosophy, Strategy and World Cup Glory

Sources: ESPNcricinfo,  ICC

The Pakistan Times. All rights reserved.

Comments

Post a Comment

We welcome your thoughts and feedback. Please keep your comments respectful, relevant, and constructive. Spam, abusive, or promotional comments will not be approved.

Popular posts from this blog

US Sea Drones Used Against Iran: How They Work and Why It Matters

-
Image
  US Deploys Explosive Sea Drones The Pakistan Times  Islamabad Times Reports indicate that for the first time, the United States has used one-way attack sea drones in a major military operation against Iran. These drones are small, fast, unmanned boats that carry explosive payloads and can destroy enemy ships or coastal targets. Ukraine has successfully used similar drones against Russia, and Iran has also been reported to develop and use such unmanned maritime systems. The US deployment of this technology in a formal operation marks a significant shift in modern warfare. How Do These Drones Work? The US system is not just a single drone but a network. According to US officials, the Corsair drone is 24 feet long, can carry up to 1,000 pounds of equipment, and travels at 35 knots. It is equipped with 360-degree cameras and radar. It has already been used in the Gulf of Oman to rescue the crew of a US Apache helicopter. The second drone, GARC, is a 5-meter-long autonomous boat ...
Read more

World's Poorest Countries 2026: The Bottom Five by GDP Per Capita

-
Image
  The Pakistan Times  Islamabad Times   World's Poorest Countries 2026 Despite decades of global development efforts, a small group of nations remain trapped at the very bottom of the world's income rankings, with average annual incomes per person still measured in the hundreds of dollars. According to Focus Economics' 2026 consensus forecasts, The Pakistan Times Live looks at the five poorest countries in the world this year by GDP per capita, and examines why they remain stuck in poverty. Note: rankings can vary slightly between sources such as the IMF, World Bank, and private forecasters, depending on methodology and the exchange rates used.) 1. South Sudan  GDP per capita: approximately $445 South Sudan holds the unfortunate distinction of being the world's poorest country by this measure. Years of civil war, chronic political instability, and a near-total dependence on oil revenue have left the economy fragile and unable to diversify. Disputes over oil fiel...
Read more

How Volker Türk Won a Second Term as UN Human Rights Chief

-
Image
How Volker Türk Secured a New Term as UN Human Rights Chief Despite US, Israeli and Russian Opposition no The Pakistan Times — Islamabad, July 25, 2026 The United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to grant Volker Türk a second four-year term as the UN's human rights chief, despite strong objections from the United States, Israel, and Russia, making him the first person to serve two full terms in the role since it was created in 1993. The Pakistan Times explains who Türk is, why his reappointment proved contentious, and what the vote reveals about divisions within the world body. The Vote Member states in the 193-nation General Assembly voted 144 in favour to 10 against, with 13 abstentions, to reappoint Türk on Friday. Ahead of the vote, the assembly had also rejected a US proposal to delay the decision by roughly a week, as well as a separate Russian proposal that would have extended Türk's term only until the end of 2026 rather than granting him a full four mo...
Read more