Saturday, 14 June, was a historic and memorable day for South Africa as they won their first ICC trophy in 27 years. In the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025, South Africa defeated Australia by five wickets to claim the title. Despite losing the final, Australia remains the No. 1 Test team in the ICC rankings. Interestingly, even after their WTC triumph, South Africa has not overtaken Australia in the rankings.
South Africa Moves to No. 2 in Test Rankings
The victory in the WTC final did help South Africa climb in the ICC Test Rankings. They moved from third to second place, but still trail Australia by 9 points. Here’s the current top 4 in the ICC Test Team Rankings:
| Rank | Team | Rating Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 123 |
| 2 | South Africa | 114 |
| 3 | England | 113 |
| 4 | India | 105 |
By winning the WTC, South Africa overtook England, pushing them down to third place. India remains at fourth, with 105 points.
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WTC Final 2025 Match Summary
In the WTC final, South Africa won the toss and chose to bowl first. They restricted Australia to 212 runs in the first innings. However, South Africa could manage only 138 runs in reply, giving Australia a 74-run lead. In the second innings, South Africa bowled out Australia for 207 runs, setting a target of 282.
South Africa chased down the target successfully with 5 wickets in hand, thanks to a century by Aiden Markram and a half-century by captain Temba Bavuma.
Australia’s Top Spot Still Safe for Now
Despite losing the WTC Final, Australia’s position at the top is safe, at least for now, due to the large rating point margin. The new WTC cycle begins on 17 June, and Australia will soon face West Indies in a three-match Test series at the end of this month.
If Australia loses that series, their No. 1 spot could be in danger. But if they win, they’ll increase their lead and solidify their position further.
South Africa may be the new WTC champions, but in the rankings game, Australia is still the team to beat.
