ICC World Test Championship points table (updated) as on December 29 after SA vs PAK 2024-25 1st Test  

South Africa (SA) confirmed their place in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) after a nervy two-wicket win over Pakistan (PAK) in the Boxing Day Test at the SuperSport Park in Centurion. The Proteas now have a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, heading into the upcoming clash at Newlands, Durban, to kickstart the year.

The Temba Bavuma-led side needed one more win to qualify for the WTC Final after their 2-0 whitewash over Sri Lanka. They were handed a 148-run target by the Men in Green, but had collapsed to 99-8 in the fourth-innings run-chase. However, the pair of Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada put up an unbeaten partnership for the ninth wicket to steer the side home in the second session of Day 2.

Prior to the Boxing Day Test, South Africa had 76 points from 10 matches, with a PCT of 63.33. Following the defining win, the PCT has increased to 66.67, a figure that is unlikely to be matched by their rivals India, Australia, and Sri Lanka in the final stages of the WTC cycle. This leaves only one more spot open in the top two.

Pakistan came into the contest as the seventh-ranked side with 40 points in 10 matches. Their PCT read 33.33, which has now plummeted to 30.30, sending them in the eighth spot, only marginally above the bottom-ranked West Indies.

India and Australia set for a direct face-off for the last spot after South Africa's WTC Final qualification

The onus is now on the second and third-placed Australia and India, respectively, to determine who will face South Africa in the final at Lord's in June 2025. The two heavyweights are currently involved in a five-match series Down Under. The affair is still level at 1-1, with the Boxing Day Test headed into the final day.

As things stand, Australia have a PCT of 58.89, while India's tally reads 55.88. Only the fate of the Border-Gavaskar series will not determine the WTC Final scenario as Pat Cummins and co. are also scheduled to tour Sri Lanka in a two-match series in January-February 2025.