South Africa beat Pakistan in first Test to become first team to qualify for ICC WTC Final

South Africa on Sunday qualified for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final, set to be played in England next year.

Temba Bavuma’s team secured their place in the decisive match of the 2023-2025 cycle when they beat Pakistan by two wickets in the first Test of their ongoing two-match series, which concluded at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Sunday.

The result ensured they extended their advantage at the summit by securing their seventh win in 11 Tests. The WTC Final is scheduled for June 11–15, 2025 at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in England.

“Today, we stand extremely proud of our Proteas Men after their exceptional achievement of qualifying for the World Test Championship Final,” CSA Chief Executive Officer, Pholetsi Moseki said.

“Their achievement is a monumental one and illustrates the progress they have made over the past 18 months, so a hearty congratulations to coach Shukri Conrad and his team.

“Journeys such as these, over a period of time, are never easy, but Temba and his team have shown outstanding determination, commitment to excellence, and hunger to succeed as they reached the top of the world ranking.

“We can now look forward to an exciting six months ahead as our boys prepare to take the field at the home of cricket in London.”

The Proteas began their journey in the 2023-2025 cycle with a drawn (1-1) home series against India last summer, before suffering their sole loss of the cycle (2-0) in an away series in New Zealand. They then won (1-0) a two-match series in the West Indies last August, before claiming arguably their most impressive result with a fine series win (2-0) in Bangladesh.

They then returned home for the current summer, which began with a double victory (2-0) over Sri Lanka, prior to the ongoing series, which they now lead 1-0 with one match to play.

“I would like to congratulate coach Shuks and his coaching staff, as well as captain Temba and all the players who contributed to this wonderful feat,” Director of National Teams and High Performance, Enoch Nkwe added.

“We must remember that this was the first full cycle for our coach, and to have done as well as he has is a great accomplishment. The entire team faced many challenges along the way; from injuries to personal circumstances and so much more. But they have stood the test of time.

“We are so proud of them, and we are really excited about being the top team in the WTC.”

Pakistan cricket, South Africa, Centurion, World Test Championship, WTC Final, Lord's