December 29, 2024: South Africa has secured its place in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 Final following a thrilling two-wicket victory over Pakistan in the first Test of their two-match series at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Sunday. This historic win guarantees the Proteas a spot at Lord’s next year, where the WTC Final will be played.
Already positioned at the top of the WTC standings after a dominant 2-0 series sweep against Sri Lanka at home, South Africa’s win against Pakistan further solidified their place. With seven wins from 11 matches in the ongoing cycle, they boast an impressive win percentage of 66.67%.
The match was a thrilling contest, with South Africa requiring a win to confirm their WTC qualification. Pakistan had set a target of 148 runs in the fourth innings, but South Africa faced early setbacks. By the end of Day 3, they were in deep trouble, having been reduced to 27/3. However, Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram steadied the ship with a crucial partnership, but Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas caused further trouble with a brilliant spell, taking six wickets in the second innings to leave South Africa at 99/8.
At this point, the game seemed in the balance, but Kagiso Rabada (31*) and Marco Jansen (16*) played with calm determination to guide the Proteas to the finish line, securing victory in dramatic fashion.
This dramatic victory ensures South Africa’s place in the WTC Final, making them the first team to qualify, ahead of Australia, India, and Sri Lanka, who are also in contention. The Proteas will now have their sights set on Lord’s next year, where they will compete for the coveted WTC title, provided they don’t face any point deductions for slow over-rates.
With this victory, South Africa has made history by securing their place in the WTC Final for the first time, cementing their position as one of the leading teams in world cricket.
