(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Australia Crushes West Indies by 159 Runs to Kick Off World Test Championship 2025–27 with Statement Win
Kensington Oval – Australia made a dominant start to the 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle with a commanding 159-run victory over the West Indies, wrapping up the first Test inside three days. The clinical performance has propelled Australia to the top of the WTC standings, ahead of England on net run rate.
After narrowly missing out in the previous WTC final, Pat Cummins’s men returned with renewed focus. Josh Hazlewood led the bowling attack with exceptional precision, taking 5 wickets for 43 runs as the West Indies were bowled out for 141, chasing a steep target of 301 on a pitch that rapidly deteriorated.
🔥 Turning Point: Australia’s Resilient Second Innings
Australia looked in trouble at 65 for 4 in their second innings, having conceded a 10-run lead earlier. But a spirited counterattack followed, with Alex Carey (65), Beau Webster (63), and Travis Head (61) stabilizing the innings and setting a challenging total for the hosts.
🎯 West Indies’ Chase Crumbles Early
The West Indies never settled in their chase. Mitchell Starc struck in the very first over to dismiss Kraigg Brathwaite, while Hazlewood’s double breakthrough in one over further derailed the innings. Captain Pat Cummins removed Shai Hope, and a sharp run-out by Marnus Labuschagne exemplified Australia’s intensity in the field.
A brief flourish came from Shamar Joseph, who scored a quickfire 44 off 22 balls, but it wasn’t enough. Nathan Lyon sealed the victory by removing Jayden Seales with the first ball he faced.
📊 Current WTC 2025–27 Points Table (as of 1st Test)
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Lost | Draw | Points | PCT (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 100.00 |
| 2 | England | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 100.00 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 66.67 |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 16.67 |
| 5 | India | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 6 | West Indies | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| – | New Zealand | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| – | Pakistan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| – | South Africa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
🏏 Looking Ahead
With two more Tests remaining in the Caribbean, Australia has a golden opportunity to strengthen its early position in the WTC race. For the West Indies, the path forward will require a strong comeback to level the series and keep their WTC hopes alive.
After three days of high-quality cricket, one message is clear: Australia’s drive to reach another World Test Championship final is already in motion.
