Updated WTC Points-Table following South Africa's win over Pakistan | South Africa survive a scare
The South African Men's National Cricket Team, under the leadership of Temba Bavuma became the first team to secure the 2023-25 WTC cycle Final berth as they triumphed over Shan Masood-led Pakistan in the first Test-Match at Centurion on Sunday, 29th of December.
After struggling at 99-8 in the run chase of 148 runs, the home side cross the finish line thanks to a magnificent partnership of the ninth-wicket between tailenders Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada.
The win in the Centurion Test-Match over the Shaheens has steered the Proteas to 88 points in 11 encounters in the current WTC cycle, giving a significant boost to their PCT to 66.67 ahead of the PCT of the Mighty Australians i.e 58.89 and Team India's 55.89 PCT. Both of those teams are currently fighting it out against each other in the ongoing 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series which is currently tied at 1-1.
With the Proteas confirming their ticket to the WTC Final, which will be held at the iconic Lord's Cricket Stadium between the 11th of June to 15th of June of 2025, only Australia and the Indian Team are the only two realistic contenders fighting it out versus each other secure the other vacant final spot.
The Temba Bavuma-led team became just the fourth team to qualify for the WTC final after Team India (2021& 2023), Reigning Champions Australia (2023) and inaugural-winners New Zealand, who lifted the WTC Test Mace in 2021 under the captaincy of Kane Williamson.
The Proteas kicked off their 2023-25 WTC campaign with a 1-1 home Test-Series draw versus the Men in Blue before falling to a 2-0 defeat versus the Kiwis in February of this year. Temba Bavum and CO then secured two consecutive series wins over the Windies and the Bangladeshi Tigers before securing a easy 2-0 home series win versus Sri Lanka earlier this month
This defeat versus South Africa was Pakistan's seventh one in the current WTC cycle in 11 participated emcounters and this defeat meant they have dropped down to the eighth position below Asian-rivals Bangladesh in the overall WTC Standings. The 2nd and final Test-Match between both the teams will be played in the city of Cape Town from the 3rd of January, 2025.
Updated WTC Points-table:
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | NR | Points | PCT | ||
| 1 | South Africa | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 88 | 66.670 | |
| 2 | Australia | 15 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 106 | 58.890 | |
| 3 | India | 17 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 114 | 55.880 | |
| 4 | New Zealand | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 48.210 | |
| 5 | Sri Lanka | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 45.450 | |
| 6 | England | 22 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 114 | 43.180 | |
| 7 | Bangladesh | 12 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 31.250 | |
| 8 | Pakistan | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 30.300 |
