Sri Lanka vs New Zealand. (Source – Sri Lanka Cricket)
The second Test of the series between Sri Lanka and New Zealand once again ended in disappointment for the visitors. The first Test, which was won convincingly by Sri Lanka, causing a huge upset against the Black Caps. The hosts, for their own good, managed to follow it up in the second fixture as well.
The clash began with Sri Lanka batting first at the Galle International Stadium and coming out to bat; the side put in an excellent performance. Dimuth Karunaratne opened the innings with a knock of 46 runs, and Dinesh Chandimal followed it up by racking 116 runs in 208 deliveries.
Furthermore, Angelo Mathews added 88 runs on the board, alongside Kamindu Mendis, who went unbeaten for a score of 182 runs, and Kusal Mendis added 106* runs on the board as Sri Lanka posted a total of 602/5 in the first innings, calling for a declaration.
As New Zealand came out to bat, the side was bundled out for a paltry score of 88 runs in the first innings. Mitchell Santner was the highest run-getter with 29 runs to his name. As New Zealand followed on, the side then posted a total of 360 runs in the second innings, eventually losing the Test by an innings and 154 runs.
New Zealand go down to 7th in WTC standings
Speaking of the latest changes in World Test Championship 2023-25 Cycle standings, Sri Lanka occupied third place in the standings after the whitewash against the Tim Southee-led side. However, the Black Caps’ loss in the second Test has resulted in the side slipping down the ranks even further.
Also Read: WTC Final 2025: How India, Bangladesh & Pakistan can qualify – Scenarios Explained
After the second Test, New Zealand now sit seventh in the WTC standings with three wins and five losses in eight matches. On the other hand, Sri Lanka have five wins and four losses in nine games.
World Test Championship Points Table (2023-2025):
| Pos. | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | Points | PCT (%) |
| 1 | India | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 86 | 71.67 |
| 2 | Australia | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 90 | 62.50 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 60 | 55.56 |
| 4 | England | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 81 | 42.19 |
| 5 | Bangladesh | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 33 | 39.29 |
| 6 | South Africa | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 28 | 38.89 |
| 7 | New Zealand | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 36 | 37.50 |
| 8 | Pakistan | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 19.05 |
| 9 | West Indies | 9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 20 | 18.52 |
*Updated as of September 29, 2024 after Sri Lanka’s win over New Zealand in 2nd Test at Galle.