South Africa edged Pakistan by two wickets in a thrilling first Test at SuperSport Park on Sunday, becoming the first team to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final. Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen’s gritty 51-run partnership rescued the hosts from 99/6, chasing a modest target of 148.
With this victory, South Africa solidified their position at the top of the WTC standings with a commanding points percentage (PCT) of 66.67%. Their consistent performances, with seven wins in 11 matches, have ensured their place in the WTC final. Australia and India follow in second and third positions, respectively, while Pakistan’s loss has left them languishing near the bottom of the table.
Here is the updated WTC 2023-25 points table:
| Position | Team | M | W | L | T | D | N/R | PT | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 11 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 88 | 66.67 |
| 2 | Australia | 15 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 106 | 58.89 |
| 3 | India | 17 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 114 | 55.89 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 48.21 |
| 5 | Sri Lanka | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 45.45 |
| 6 | England | 22 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 114 | 43.18 |
| 7 | Bangladesh | 12 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 31.25 |
| 8 | Pakistan | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 30.30 |
| 9 | West Indies | 11 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 24.24 |
The second and final Test of the South Africa-Pakistan series will take place in Cape Town from January 3-7, 2025. While South Africa has already secured their place in the WTC final, Pakistan will be looking to salvage pride and improve their standing in the points table. Meanwhile, Australia and India are set to face off in a high-stakes series that could determine the second finalist.
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