The South Africa Cricket Team secured a convincing 2-0 series win against Sri Lanka by winning the second Test match at St George’s Park by 109 runs. Just the last day, India lost the game to Australia by 10 wickets in the second BGT 2024/25 test. This caused India to slip down to their lowest position of No. 3 for the first time in the history of the WTC.
The Proteas are currently topping the WTC points table with 63.33 PCT, followed by Australia, who have 60.71 PCT. India currently has 57.29 PCT. The Proteas will now play a two-match Test series against Pakistan at home starting with the Boxing Day Test on December 26. They are favorites to qualify for the final, as they need to win one out of the two Test matches.
How can India, Australia, and South Africa qualify for the WTC final?
Sri Lanka is completely out of contention to reach the WTC final, but they can influence the standings as they will next play a two-match home Test series against Australia. So, if South Africa goes on to beat Sri Lanka in one Test, it will be a direct contest between India and Australia for a place in the final. There are three Test matches left in the current BGT series.
If India can win the remaining matches in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, then their PCT can soar up to 64.04, and Australia would have very reduced chances to qualify even if they clinch a win against Sri Lanka. With the recent win by South Africa, India with 2 wins and a draw would also not leave many chances for the Aussies.
However, should India lose another match, their PCT would dip below Australia’s, making their World Test Championship qualification dependent on favorable outcomes in the Sri Lanka-Australia series. So, India has to give their all in the remaining three Test matches in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
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