World Test Championship: South Africa’s road to the 2025 WTC Final
Under the sharp leadership of Temba Bavumathe South African men’s cricket team has engraved its name in history, securing the coveted spot in the first ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final. Their incredible journey into the 2025 summit clash at the iconic Lord’s cricket field is testament to a dominant home performance, unwavering resilience in high pressure moments, and a team that undoubtedly peaked at the right time.
Ride South Africa’s roller coaster for the 2025 WTC Final
South Africa’s WTC 2023-25 campaign started with a challenging home series India December 2023. Proteas made an overwhelming statement in the opening test at Centurion, defeating India comprehensively in the innings and 32 runs. This commanding victory was driven by a great 185 from their retired opener Dean Elger A sharp bowling spell from the scary duo of Kagiso Rabada and Nandre Burger. However, subsequent tests in Cape Town proved controversial, with a dangerous pitch leading to a very short match, following just 642 balls. India took advantage of the conditions and leveled out Series 1-1 by securing a seven-wicket victory, marking the end of Elgar’s glorious international career.
Following this first mixed bag, South Africa’s fate skyrocketed as they embarked on a back-to-back home series Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Against Sri Lanka, Proteas performed a clinical 2-0 sweep highlighted by a dominant victory of 233 runs at Durban and another command display at Gqeberha. These key victories kept South Africa firmly in the battle for the WTC Final, especially as rival India competed against Australia.
The final allocation of the cycle was a strained two-test series against Pakistan in December 2024. The first test at Centurion was nail biting issues, with South Africa chasing 148 runs at the infamous tricky wicket. The key ninth wicket partnership between Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada saw them home with just two wickets, making South Africa the first team to officially qualify for the WTC Finals. The second test in Cape Town served as a illustrious showcase for batting talent. Ryan Rickelton’s unbeaten 259 and century from Captains Babuma and Kyle Belaine, carried a 10-wicket victory and scored a perfect finish to an extraordinary campaign.
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Major Contributors of Protea
South Africa’s impressive WTC record has accumulated 100 points in an astonishing PCT of 69.44% in 12 matches, eight wins, three losses and one draw.
Their path to Lord was paved by the efforts of group teams, complemented by individual brilliances. In Dean Elgar’s memorable farewell century, Marco Jansen’s impactful all-around hero Ryan Rickelton’s record-breaking 200 were crucial in their success. The relentless paced attack, led by Rabada and properly supported by Jansen and Lungididi, consistently led to significant breakthroughs, but Temba Babuma’s leadership provided a much-needed sense of stability and direction aside.
The South African campaign was largely a victory, but not a share of the drama. The controversial pitch in Cape Town’s testing against India sparked serious scrutiny, with a tense pursuit against Pakistan testing the team’s nerves to its absolute limits. However, Protea showed enormous grit and calmness, overcoming these early set-offs and finished the WTC rankings with an impressive run of six consecutive Test wins.
South Africa’s consistent and dominant performance earned him the second spot in the ICC standings, setting the stage for the blockbuster final showdown against Defending Champions Australia on Road, scheduled for June 11-15, 2025.
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