South Africa has secured a spot in this year’s World Test Championship (WTC) final, set to take place at Lord’s in June. Ahead of their second and final Test against Pakistan at Newlands, the team will aim to maintain their strong form in Test cricket.
In the first Test in Pretoria, South Africa edged out Pakistan by two wickets in a tense match, marking their sixth consecutive victory in the red-ball format. This winning streak equals their best run since achieving nine consecutive Test victories between 2002 and 2003. However, despite their success, concerns remain about the consistency of their batting lineup, which will come under scrutiny on the challenging pitch at Newlands.
The Newlands wicket has been known for unpredictable conditions. The previous Test at this venue, played against India a year ago, ended in just 107 overs, with the visitors claiming victory by seven wickets in a historic two-day finish. While improvements are expected this time, South Africa has struggled at this ground recently, losing two of their last three Tests in Cape Town—a venue that was once a fortress for the team.
Pakistan narrowly missed out on a win in the first Test after reducing South Africa to 99-8 while defending a target of 148 on a challenging pitch at Centurion Park. However, South African players Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada staged a remarkable lower-order recovery to snatch victory. Reflecting on the missed opportunity, Pakistan captain Shan Masood emphasized the importance of being more ruthless in critical moments, both with bat and ball.
Historically, Pakistan has struggled in South Africa, winning only two of their 16 Tests in the country. Their last Test victory in South Africa was in 2007, and they have lost all four of their previous matches in Cape Town.
The upcoming Test at Newlands is expected to draw a large holiday crowd, especially given the rarity of home international fixtures for South Africa in the coming years. Based on the ICC’s Future Tours Programme, South Africa will not play another home Test until Australia visits in September 2026. Moreover, this will be their only home international match in any format throughout 2025, adding to the significance of the occasion.