NEW DELHI: South African captain Temba Bavuma has expressed his team’s firm determination to secure their first-ever appearance in the World Test Championship Final, scheduled to take place at Lord’s in June next year.
Currently leading the standings for the ongoing cycle with 63.33 percentage points, South Africa face a crucial two-match Test series against Pakistan, commencing with the Boxing Day game on December 26 at SuperSport Park in Centurion, followed by the New Year’s game at Newlands in Cape Town on January 3.
After their 2-0 victory over Sri Lanka, South Africa need to win at least one of the two Tests against Pakistan to confirm their spot in the WTC Final.
Bavuma acknowledged the significance of the World Test Championship, describing it as a “World Cup for the red-ball players,” and emphasized his team’s ambition to participate in the prestigious event.
“We’ve given ourselves a very good opportunity to do so and we’re quite close to that. We’ve played some good cricket as a team. We’d want to continue that. That championship means a lot as well to cricket around the world,” Bavuma said.
Other teams vying for a place in the final include the reigning champions Australia (58.89 PCT) and two-time runners-up India (55.88 PCT), currently occupying the second and third positions in the points table, respectively.
As the current WTC cycle approaches an exciting conclusion, Bavuma highlighted the unique appeal of Test cricket, stating that players have always aspired to excel in the longest format of the game.
“I think from a pure skill point of view, as players, we’ve always wanted to play Test cricket. You want to see yourself succeeding where things are tough, where you’re tested for long periods. Test cricket is the purest form of the game, and there’s a reason why they say that,” he added.
With South Africa’s strong position in the standings and their upcoming series against Pakistan, the team is well-positioned to secure their maiden appearance in the World Test Championship Final.