New Delhi (Nilesh Tiwari): South Africa won the first Test, held on December 29 at Centurion, by two wickets over Pakistan. South Africa had already made its way into the WTC 2023-2025 final, which is going to be played from June 11-15 at Lord’s, London, as it became the first team in the history of the ICC World Test Championship to qualify for the World Test Championship final.
South Africa went ahead, and the 148 set as the target for the match was rather comfortable. However, Pakistan at 27/3 was losing three wickets till the end of the third day, but this small mark seemed rather challenging to reach.
Pakistan continued to pile on the pressure during Day 4, though South Africa somehow managed it to reach up to a vulnerable 99/8. And when things were going to nail this match for South Africa finally came in the form of an important partnership between Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, sealing South Africa’s win to get a ticket into the WTC final. The chances for India to make it into the WTC final look dim as they have lost the first series.
It has made both India and Australia competitive. South Africa has already ensured itself one seat, and India and Australia are competing in a two-horse battle for the other seat as they are contesting now in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-2025. The winner of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be the one to reach the final as he would be able to contest against South Africa. They did lose the day-night Test match against Australia at Adelaide Oval after losing a home series to New Zealand. These losses cost them dearly in terms of WTC rankings.
South Africa Playing XI: Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (w), Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson
Pakistan Playing XI: Shan Masood (c), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan (w), Saud Shakeel, Salman Agha, Aamer Jamal, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas
India’s WTC Final qualification scenario 2024-2025I
The qualification scenario for India has slightly changed with South Africa pocketing one of the two slots for the final of the ICC World Test Championship 2023–25. Now, if they win the remaining two Tests against Australia at Perth and Sydney, they will be assured of qualifying outright.
Sri Lanka will have to win at least one of their two Test games against Australia if they win one and lose the second. India will be forced by Sri Lanka to beat the Aussies 1-0 in the two-Test series.
If both matches out of the last two between India and Australia end in draws, Finally, if they lose the series, they would be out of running for the WTC final.
