England's dominant 241-run victory over the West Indies in the second Test at Nottingham has significantly boosted their standing in the ICC World Test Championship rankings. This important win has propelled England from the bottom of the table to sixth place, overtaking South Africa, Bangladesh, and the West Indies. With a 2-0 series lead, England is set to face the West Indies for the final Test in Birmingham on Friday.
Shoaib Bashir shined with his third five-wicket haul, claiming 5/41 in the second innings to dismiss the West Indies for 143. England will next host Sri Lanka for a three-match series followed by tours to Pakistan and New Zealand later in the year.
The West Indies have seven remaining Tests against teams like England, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Pakistan in this period. They currently sit at ninth place in the ICC World Test Championship standings with a win-loss percentage of 22.22%.
England's victory not only improves their ranking but also keeps them in contention with the top teams in the championship. Captain Ben Stokes and his team will aim for a series sweep and carry this momentum into their upcoming fixtures.
The final match of the England-West Indies series will kick off in Birmingham, with England sticking to an unchanged squad and the West Indies potentially bringing back spinner Gudakesh Motie, who missed the second Test due to illness.