Australia clinches Test win in just three days, tops the new WTC table

Bridgetown: Just days after losing the World Test Championship (WTC) final to South Africa, Pat Cummins’ Australian side bounced back strongly. On Friday, they claimed a 159-run victory over West Indies at Bridgetown, securing their fourth consecutive Test win in the new WTC cycle and rising to the top of the WTC standings.

Until Friday, England held the No.1 spot in the WTC rankings. But now, Australia has overtaken them.

Set a target of 301 runs, West Indies, under stand-in skipper Roston Chase, collapsed for just 141 runs. The match ended with only four balls left on Day 3.

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Josh Hazlewood (12-3-43-5) sealed the win in dramatic fashion—he dismissed Shamar Joseph (44 runs) with the third ball of the final over, and then bowled out Jayden Seales (0) on the very next delivery.

The 34-year-old Hazlewood, who plays for RCB in the IPL, achieved his 13th five-wicket haul in Test innings. He took 7 wickets in the match.

Spinner Nathan Lyon took two wickets, while Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc claimed one each.

Earlier, Australia posted 310 runs in their second innings, thanks to 60+ scores from Travis Head, Alex Carey, and Beau Webster.

In the first innings, Australia had made 180, while West Indies replied with 190—taking a slender 10-run lead. However, their batting crumbled in the second innings, leading to a comprehensive defeat.

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With scores of 59 in the first innings and 61 in the second, Travis Head was named Player of the Match.