South Africa's cricket team has made history by securing their place in the upcoming World Test Championship final, following a nail-biting two-wicket victory over Pakistan. This victory, their sixth consecutive test win, guarantees them a spot among the elite teams competing for the championship at Lord’s from June 11-15, 2025.
Despite their impressive achievement, coach Shukri Conrad and captain Temba Bavuma have voiced concerns about the need for improvement before they face what is likely to be Australia, who recently defeated India to advance their position as well. After Sunday’s match at Centurion, Conrad stressed the importance of being more clinical, stating, "Even in this test match, we played some really poor cricket, some soft cricket." He noted the team’s mix of experience and youth could play a pivotal role as they aim for greater resilience and consistency, particularly when batting under pressure.
Bavuma echoed these sentiments, reflecting on the team’s performance over the course of the championship. "If you look at our campaign, as much as we are in the final, we haven't been super dominant in our performances," he said. His acknowledgment of the sometimes fortunate outcomes the team has experienced captures the reality faced by the Proteas: they have found ways to win, but not always through ideal cricket.
South Africa’s path to the final has been marked with victories starting from their series against West Indies last August, carrying through series wins against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and most recently, Pakistan. Yet, both the coach and captain recognize the need to dissect their gameplay and address vulnerabilities before the championship match.
Ryan Rickelton has been one of the standout performers for the Proteas, recently scoring 259 runs against Pakistan. His remarkable innings tied him for the seventh highest individual score for South Africa, and he was pivotal in propelling South Africa to a formidable first innings total of 615. Notably, his partnership with wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne added significant strength to the innings, with Verreynne himself contributing 100 runs during their substantial sixth-wicket partnership.
Verreynne's take on Rickelton's performance was complimentary. "I thought he would be really tired after batting the whole day yesterday but he was so calm, it just felt like he could do this for ages. It put me at ease and I could just bat normally," he said. The camaraderie and mutual support among players depict the positive atmosphere within the squad, which may key to their success moving forward.
After the impressive performance, the team now sets its sight on continuing their momentum, with Verreynne sharing the goal to secure nine additional wickets against Pakistan to complete their series triumph. Currently, Pakistan found themselves on 64-3 at the end of their second innings, trailing by 551 runs—a reflection of South Africa’s dominance on the field.
Confronted with the challenge of integrating limited overs cricket on the calendar, the Proteas have to find ways to schedule their remaining practice time effectively. With the next significant test being against Pakistan again on Friday, it remains to be seen how the team will juggle their preparation and performance expectations.
While the excitement around South Africa's successful ascent to the World Test Championship final is palpable, both the coaching staff and the players understand the work still to be done to refine their skills and approach. The aim is clear—improve consistency and turn potentially fortunate victories to more commanding performances when it matters most. The world will be watching as the team heads to Lord’s, hoping to turn their promising potential and increasing talent pool to success on cricket's biggest stage.