In a stunning display of cricketing excellence, South Africa has secured a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 finals. Under the leadership of Temba Bavuma, South Africa achieved this feat by defeating Pakistan by 2 wickets in the Centurion Test. Chasing a target of 148 runs, South Africa reached the mark in the second session on the fourth day (December 29). This marks South Africa's maiden entry into the WTC final.
While chasing the target, South Africa faced a challenging situation at 99 for 8. However, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada kept their cool and guided their team to a memorable victory with an unbeaten 51-run partnership. Rabada remained unbeaten on 31, while Jansen scored 16 not out. Fast bowler Mohammad Abbas tried his best to turn the game in Pakistan's favor by claiming six wickets in the second innings, but Jansen and Rabada's enduring resilience ensured South Africa's win. The second and final Test of the series between these two strong teams is scheduled to begin on January 3 in Cape Town.
With South Africa progressing to the WTC final, the spotlight now shifts to the remaining slot, which is being contested by three teams: India, Australia, and Sri Lanka. Notably, New Zealand, England, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the West Indies have already bowed out of the race. The WTC final of the current cycle is slated to be held at the cricketing haven of Lord's from June 11 to 15 next year.
♦ For a straightforward entry into the final, India must win both Tests against Australia, including the Melbourne Test. A draw or loss in either match will require dependence on other match outcomes.
♦ If India secures a 2-1 victory in the series, it will hope for Sri Lanka to draw at least one match in its home series against Australia.
♦ If the series against Australia ends in a 2-2 draw, India will close at 55.26 percentage points. In such a scenario, India will qualify for the final only if Sri Lanka wins the home series against Australia 1-0 or 2-0.
♦ Should the Melbourne and Sydney tests result in draws, India will finish with 53.51 percentage points. India will need Sri Lanka to win the series 1-0 or finish 0-0 against Australia. If the series against Sri Lanka ends 0-0, Australia will have the same 53.51 percentage points as India. However, India will advance based on more series wins in this cycle. If Sri Lanka wins 2-0, it will move ahead of India.
♦ If India loses the series against Australia 1-2, it will end with 51.75 percentage points and will be eliminated from the race to the final.
Source: aajtak
This is the third WTC cycle, running from 2023 to 2025. The ICC had already outlined the points system rules for this cycle. Teams earn 12 points for a win, 4 points for a draw, and 6 points for a tie.
Points are awarded on a percentage basis: 100% for a win, 50% for a tie, 33.33% for a draw, and 0% for a loss. In a two-match series, 24 points are available, whereas a five-match series offers 60 points. Rankings on the points table are primarily determined by the win percentage.
