South Africa’s red-ball coach, Shukri Conrad, is unbothered by criticism over his team’s relatively straightforward path to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final. While he acknowledges their schedule was less demanding compared to others, Conrad remains focused on the achievements of his side, particularly their historic qualification for the final.
The Proteas secured their spot in the WTC Final for the first time with a nail-biting two-wicket victory over Pakistan in the opening Test at Centurion on December 29, 2024. However, their WTC cycle structure has sparked debate, given the absence of extended series or matchups against some of cricket’s traditional powerhouses.
South Africa’s calendar comprised just 12 Tests, none of which exceeded two matches per series. While they faced challenging opponents like India at home and New Zealand away, much of their competition came against lower-ranked sides such as Bangladesh, West Indies, and Pakistan.
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Their recent 2-0 home sweep over Sri Lanka further solidified their position ahead of the ongoing series against Pakistan. Critics argue this relatively easier schedule, devoid of encounters with England, Australia, or demanding subcontinent tours, provided South Africa with a smoother route to the final. Yet, Conrad has defended his team’s accomplishments, emphasizing that they maximized the opportunities presented to them.
Speaking to The Roar, Conrad dismissed detractors: “We’re just thrilled to be at Lord’s next year. People may say we had an easy draw, but I’m not apologizing for that. Winning at home is tough as favorites, and it’s even harder to maintain consistency. We’ve earned our place, and being underdogs in the final might actually play to our advantage.”
They have no batter in the top 35 Test run-scorers in this WTC cycle and no bowler in the top 13 wicket-takers.
Yet with a range of contributions, South Africa have beaten the odds to make the final 👏
Read more: https://t.co/d74vCFTHtd pic.twitter.com/N69P564Aam
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 31, 2024
The debate intensified when former England captain Michael Vaughan questioned the fairness of the WTC structure. England, for instance, played 22 matches—nearly double South Africa’s total—and faced stiff penalties for slow over-rates, ultimately falling short of qualification.
Michael Vaughan, speaking to Fox Cricket, expressed his dissatisfaction: “South Africa’s path to the final has been too easy. They haven’t played England or Australia. Beating Pakistan and Sri Lanka at home isn’t the same as navigating tougher series. The system is flawed.”
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Despite the criticism, the Proteas are preparing to face South Africa in the WTC final at Lord’s, where they hope to silence doubters and prove their mettle on the global stage. Their ability to adapt and perform under pressure will determine whether their path to the summit clash was merely fortuitous or a testament to their rising potential.
