The third World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, 2023-2025, is concluded, and what an end to the cycle we’ve just witnessed. South Africa has finally broken the curse, winning their first ICC Trophy in 27 years.
The 2023-25 cycle began in June 2023, when Australia faced England at Edgbaston and completed an incredible chase, knocking down 281 as Pat Cummins played an ice-cold knock in the fourth innings. Fittingly, the cycle has concluded with South Africa chasing 282, with Aiden Markram delivering one of the greatest Test knocks in history.
The cycle began with Zak Crawley smashing Cummins through the covers and concluded with Kyle Verreynne punching Mitchell Starc through the area. Dare I say it was a full circle moment?
Here, we look at some of the best individual performances and other remarkable stats from this cycle, as well as some unique records.
Highest run-getter – Joe Root (1968 runs)
Highest wicket-taker – Pat Cummins (80 wickets)
Highest team total – 823/7d – ENG vs PAK, Multan, 2024
Lowest team total – 42 – SL vs SA, Durban, 2024
Most catches – Steve Smith (43)
Most wicketkeeper dismissals – Alex Carey (98 dismissals)
Best economy rate (min 200 overs) – Jomel Warrican (2.70)
Best bowling average – Noman Ali (14.76)
Highest target chased: 282 – SA vs AUS, Lord’s, 2025
Highest individual score: 317 – Harry Brook vs PAK, Multan, 2024
Highest partnership: 454 – Harry Brook & Joe Root vs PAK, Multan, 2024
Best figures in an innings: 8/46 – Noman Ali vs ENG, Multan, 2024
Best match figures: 13/157 – Mitchell Santner vs IND, Pune, 2024
Most five-wicket hauls – Pat Cummins (6)
Most ten-wicket hauls – Noman Ali (2)
Most runs in a series – 712 – Yashasvi Jaiswal (England tour of India, 2024)
Most wickets in a series – 32 – Jasprit Bumrah (BGT 2024-25)
Most catches for a fielder in a series – 12 – Steve Smith (BGT 2024-25)
Big names who retired from Tests during this cycle
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, David Warner, Dean Elgar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Tim Southee
Streaks that were broken during the cycle
> South Africa won an ICC Trophy for the first time in the 21st century
> India lost a bilateral Test series at home for the first time since 2012
> Bangladesh beat Pakistan in a Test series for the first time ever
> New Zealand lost a bilateral Test series at home for the first time in eight years
> Australia lost a day-night Test for the first time ever
Unique records we saw in the 2023-2025 WTC cycle
> Against Sri Lanka in Durban, Marco Jansen took the joint-quickest seven-wicket haul in Test history, taking seven wickets in just 41 balls
> Against England in Rawalpindi, Sajid Khan and Noman Ali opened the bowling for Pakistan on day one, making it only the fourth instance of two spinners opening the bowling in the first innings of a Test match
> Yashasvi Jaiswal (36 in 2024) hit the most sixes by a batter in a calendar year in Tests
> India collapsed from 153/4 to 153 all-out against South Africa in Cape Town, making it the most number of wickets lost by a team on a particular score in Tests without adding a single run
> Against Bangladesh at Sabina Park, Jayden Seales bowled the most economical spell in Test cricket since 1977, finishing with 4/5 in 15.5 overs (economy 0.31)
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