(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
England Defeats India in Thrilling First Test at Headingley to Top WTC 2025–27 Table
LEEDS – England kicked off their World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 campaign in impressive fashion, registering a five-wicket win over India in the opening Test at Headingley. The victory takes Ben Stokes’ men to the top of the WTC points table, signaling a strong start to their Test season.
Duckett, Crawley Lead Memorable Run Chase
Chasing a daunting 371-run target on the final day, England’s top order came out with intent. Ben Duckett stole the show with a commanding 149, supported well by Zak Crawley’s 65, while Joe Root and Jamie Smith provided crucial support in the middle order. England crossed the finish line in the final hour of play, handing India a surprise defeat despite their early control of the match.
India’s Strong Start Fades
India looked well-positioned after posting a first-innings score of 471, led by Shubman Gill’s captaincy debut century (147) and Rishabh Pant’s 134. England responded strongly with 465 runs, after which KL Rahul (137) and Pant (118) again led India’s second-innings effort. Setting England a tough chase of 371, India’s bowlers, however, couldn’t capitalize—Jasprit Bumrah went wicketless, and the attack lacked bite on the final day.
World Test Championship Standings (as of now):
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | Points | PCT (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 100.00 |
| Bangladesh | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 33.33 |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 33.33 |
| India | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Australia | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Pakistan | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| New Zealand | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| South Africa | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| West Indies | – | – | – | – | – | – |
What’s Next?
With this win, England leads the five-match series 1–0, and momentum firmly on their side, they’ll look to double their lead in the second Test. For India, it’s a crucial moment—they’ll need to bounce back quickly to keep their WTC campaign on track and stay in contention for a spot in the 2027 Final.
Meanwhile, the WTC continues today as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh begin their second Test, and Australia and the West Indies prepare to launch their respective campaigns later tonight in the Caribbean.
