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Aiden Markram-led South Africa beat Bangladesh by an innings and 273 runs in the second Test to win the series with a scoreline of 2-0.
South Africa beat Bangladesh by an innings margin in the 2nd Test. (Picture Credit: X/@ProteasMenCSA)
South Africa beat Bangladesh by an innings and 273 runs in the second Test of the two-match series played at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Thursday (October 31) to boost its chances of finishing in the top-two of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 points table and securing a place in the WTC 2025 final at Lord’s next year.
The Aiden Markram-led side won the first Test by 7 wickets, and with a big win in the second Test as well, it not only whitewashed the Najmul Hossain Shanto & Co. but also moved to No. 4 position in the WTC 2023-25 points table. The Proteas have 54.17 PCT% now.
India (62.83 PCT%), Australia (62.50 PCT%), and Sri Lanka (55.56 PCT%) are ahead of South Africa at the moment, but if South Africa wins the next four matches—two each against Sri Lanka and Pakistan—in front of home fans, then they are guaranteed to finish in the top two.
On the other hand, despite losing the home series, Bangladesh retained the No. 8 position, but its PCT% has now dropped to 27.5 from 30.56.
WTC 2023-25 points table (after 2nd Bangladesh-South Africa Test)
| POSITION | TEAM | PLAYED | WON | LOST | DRAW | PENALTY | POINTS | PCT% |
| 1. | India | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 94 | 62.82 |
| 2. | Australia | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 90 | 62.50 |
| 3. | Sri Lanka | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 55.56 |
| 4. | South Africa | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 54.16 |
| 5. | New Zealand | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 50.00 |
| 6. | England | 19 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 19 | 93 | 40.79 |
| 7. | Pakistan | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 40 | 33.33 |
| 8. | Bangladesh | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 33 | 27.50 |
| 9. | West Indies | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 20 | 18.52 |
If South Africa finishes in the top-two, then the upcoming five-match Test series between India and Australia will become a must-win for both teams because the loser of that assignment will then lose the chance to play in the WTC for the second time in a row.
India will be guaranteed to finish in the top two of the WTC 2023-25 points table if the Rohit Sharma-led side win four of the remaining six Tests.
Before travelling to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India will face New Zealand in the third Test of the ongoing three-match series at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from Friday (November 1). India was the favourite to qualify for the WTC 2025 final, but after losing back-to-back matches against the Black Caps, India’s chances are now on the knife’s edge.
If India fails to win the third Test against New Zealand in Mumbai, then it will lose its No. 1 position in the WTC points table before the all-important series against Australia. The first Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy is set to start on November 22 in Perth, and the remaining four matches will be played in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
