DURBAN: South Africa and Sri Lanka continue their quest for a place in the World Test Championship final when they clash in the first match of a two-Test series at Kingsmead in Durban on Wednesday, with both needing victories to stay on course.

If South Africa win both Tests, and back-to-back home games against Pakis­tan over the festive season, they will be guaranteed a place in the final at Lords in June, but three wins from those four matches might be enough too.

No team has played fewer fixtures in this WTC cycle than South Africa, eight to date and less than half of England’s 19, though Sri Lanka have featured in only one more.

Having essentially forfeited a series in New Zealand this year when they sent a second-string side due to a clash with their domestic SA20 competition, it is remarkable South Africa are in contention at all.

“There’s lots of excitement,” captain Temba Bavuma told reporters. “Obviously, as a group, starting the WTC cycle, that’s (a final place) one of the things that we spoke about in terms of what we’d like to achieve.

“Things became a bit tricky for us after the New Zealand trip but there was always a goal at the back of our minds. We understand that the expectation and the pressure will probably ramp up.”

South Africa’s batting remains fragile, but they possess a potent and experienced bowling attack which has carried the team recently.

“We’ve been putting in some good performances, so from a confidence, belief point of view, it’s been good to see,” Bavuma said. “As a team, we’ll ride that for as long as it lives within us.”

Sri Lanka can still reach the final but must win three of their four remaining Tests the two in South Africa and two at home to Australia early next year.

Middle-order batter Kamindu Mendis has made a stunning start to his Test career as he averages 91.27 from his first 13 innings with five hundreds and four fifties. The quicker, bouncier tracks in South Africa will be a different challenge.

Sri Lanka stunned their hosts with a 2-0 series win in South Africa in 2019, but on their last visit in the 2020-21 season were well beaten in both games.

South Africa have won 13 of 17 home Tests against the Lankans, with three defeats. In three previous meetings in Durban, however, Sri Lanka have two wins and a draw and are yet to be beaten.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2024