Can Bangladesh reach the WTC final after beating Australia?

Bangladesh registered a historic nine-wicket victory over Australia in Darwin, giving their World Test Championship (WTC) campaign a major boost. The win came against the team that started the match at the top of the WTC standings.

With this result, Bangladesh moved to fourth place in the WTC standings with a 66.67 PCT. The match is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle, and the victory has improved Bangladesh's position in the race for a place in the WTC Final.

Bangladesh bowled Australia out for 198 in the first innings before scoring 426 in reply. They then restricted Australia to 284 in the second innings, leaving themselves only 57 runs to win. Bangladesh completed the chase comfortably with nine wickets in hand.

The victory is a historic moment for Bangladesh, especially after their limited Test history in Australia. They first toured Australia 23 years ago, and this was only their second Test series Down Under. But can Bangladesh now reach the WTC Final? Here is a look at their current position and the scenarios they need to follow.

Bangladesh's win takes them to 66.66% PCT — Where do they stand now?

Despite the stunning nine-wicket victory, Australia remain at the top of the WTC standings. However, their PCT has dropped from 87.50% to 77.78% after suffering their second defeat of the 2025-27 cycle. Bangladesh, meanwhile, remain fourth after winning three of their five matches, with their PCT improving from 58.33% to 66.67%.

Before the Darwin Test, Australia had played eight matches, winning seven and losing one. They had 84 points with an 87.50% PCT. Bangladesh had 28 points from four matches, including two wins, one loss and one draw, with a 58.33% PCT. After their win, Bangladesh moved to 40 points.

India remain fifth in the table with a 48.15% PCT as they continue their away Test series against Sri Lanka. Here is the updated WTC Points Table after Bangladesh's historic win over Australia:

Pos.	Team	Played	Won	Lost	Draw	Points	PCT
1	Australia	9	7	2	0	84	77.78%
2	South Africa	4	3	1	0	36	75.00%
3	New Zealand	6	4	1	1	52	72.22%
4	Bangladesh	5	3	1	1	40	66.67%
5	India	9	4	4	1	52	48.15%
6	Sri Lanka	4	1	1	2	20	41.67%
7	England	13	4	8	1	38	24.36%
8	Pakistan	6	2	4	0	16	22.22%
9	West Indies	12	2	8	2	30	20.83%

Bangladesh will take a lot of confidence from their historic win over Australia. They had earlier beaten Pakistan 2-0 at home, and the victory in Darwin has given them another major boost in their WTC campaign.

Bangladesh still have tough matches ahead against Australia and South Africa. These Tests will be important because strong results against the top teams can help them improve their PCT and stay in the race for the WTC Final.

They also have four remaining home Tests against the West Indies and England. If Bangladesh can win all four matches, they will put themselves in a strong position. However, they will need to maintain consistency in their remaining games and depend on other results as the WTC race develops.

How India, South Africa & Australia's results could decide Bangladesh's fate

Australia's defeat has opened the WTC race for their rivals. They still have 13 Tests remaining, including a five-Test tour of India early next year. Australia have struggled in India, winning only two of their last 12 Tests there. They also have home Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand, so their results in these matches could have a major impact on the qualification race.

For India, Bangladesh's victory over Australia is a positive result, but India still have plenty of work to do. Their 2-0 home series loss to South Africa last year and 3-0 defeat to New Zealand have hurt their WTC campaign. A strong result in Sri Lanka would improve India's position, while the upcoming home series against Australia and later tour of New Zealand could be crucial for their hopes of reaching the final.

Bangladesh's win has therefore made the WTC race more competitive. Australia's results, India's performance and South Africa's consistency could all affect Bangladesh's chances. Bangladesh will need to win as many of their remaining Tests as possible and hope that other results go in their favour.