South Africa become first team to qualify for WTC 2025 final with thrilling win over Pakistan
Chasing 148, the Proteas were given a serious scare by Pakistan's bowlers but held their nerve to seal the win, making them the first team to qualify for the final at Lord's in June 2025.
South Africa secured their place in the 2023-25 World Test Championship final with a dramatic two-wicket victory over Pakistan in the first Test of their two-match series at SuperSport Park, Centurion, on Sunday, 29 December.
Chasing 148, the Proteas were given a serious scare by Pakistan's bowlers but held their nerve to seal the win, making them the first team to qualify for the final at Lord's in June 2025.
The match was a rollercoaster of emotions, with South Africa struggling at various stages during the chase. After being set 148 to win, the hosts found themselves in deep trouble at the end of Day 3, having lost three quick wickets to leave them on 27 for 3.
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When play resumed, South Africa's chase faltered further as Mohammad Abbas produced a devastating spell of seam bowling. His six-wicket haul included four wickets in the morning session alone, sending the Proteas into a perilous position at 99 for 8, needing just 49 more runs for victory.
However, South Africa found their unlikely heroes in Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, who came together to form an unbroken 51-run partnership for the ninth wicket. Their resilience in the face of a relentless Pakistan attack ensured that the Proteas completed the chase with just two wickets to spare, securing their qualification for the World Test Championship final at Lord's from 11-15 June 2025.
Rabada and Jansen's composure was particularly remarkable given the intensity of the situation. With Pakistan having been bowled out for 237 on Day 3, the Proteas' chase had seemed manageable at first, but Abbas' brilliant spell turned the tide.
Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma had shown initial resistance before both were dismissed, the former being cleaned up by a ball that kept low and the latter being caught behind despite the absence of a spike on the Ultra-edge.
As the wickets tumbled around him, Bavuma's dismissal left South Africa at 96 for 5, and their situation worsened when Kyle Verreynne, David Bedingham, and Corbin Bosch followed in quick succession.
With South Africa on the brink of defeat, it was Rabada and Jansen who dug in, playing with the necessary caution and aggression to secure a famous win.
With this victory, South Africa moved to 88 points from 11 matches in the current World Test Championship cycle, giving them a points percentage (PCT) of 66.67%.
They sit atop the standings, ahead of Australia (58.89%) and India (55.89%), both of whom are still vying for a spot in the final. Australia and India are currently level at 1-1 in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which will determine who will join South Africa at Lord's in 2025.
South Africa's journey to the final has been a mixture of highs and lows, including a 1-1 home series draw against India and a 0-2 loss to New Zealand earlier in the cycle. However, they bounced back with impressive series wins against the West Indies, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, earning them a deserved spot in the final.
The win also marked a crucial blow for Pakistan, whose hopes of making the final were dashed. The loss to South Africa was their seventh defeat in 11 matches this cycle, pushing them further down the WTC standings to eighth, below Bangladesh.
The second and final Test between the two sides will be played in Cape Town from 3 January 2025.
