South Africa soared to the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) standings with a commanding 109-run victory over Sri Lanka at St George's Park. The triumph sealed a 2-0 series sweep for the Proteas, who wrapped up Sri Lanka’s innings at 238 on the final morning, well before the second new ball was due.
The hero of the day was Keshav Maharaj, who claimed his tenth Test five-wicket haul, dismantling Sri Lanka’s lower order with a devastating spell. Maharaj took four of the last five wickets in just over an hour as Sri Lanka’s tail collapsed, losing five wickets for 19 runs in 62 balls. Despite starting the day at a relatively stable 202 for 5, with Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva sharing a solid 83-run partnership, Sri Lanka’s batters crumbled against a rejuvenated South African attack.
Kagiso Rabada, buoyed by the morning breeze, set the tone with disciplined bowling. Maharaj broke the crucial partnership in the seventh over of the day when Kusal Mendis, attempting a drive, edged to Aiden Markram, who completed a low catch after a review. Shortly after, Rabada’s persistence paid off as Dhananjaya edged a delivery with late movement, sending the ball into the keeper’s gloves.
With no recognised batters remaining, the Sri Lankan tail offered little resistance. Prabath Jayasuriya attempted an ambitious shot off a Maharaj long-hop but found Temba Bavuma at extra cover. Vishwa Fernando slogged across the line only to send a catch to Marco Jansen at mid-on, while Lahiru Kumara top-edged a short ball from Jansen, sealing the series win as Ryan Rickelton safely held the catch.
This victory puts South Africa just one win away from securing a place in next year’s WTC final. A victory against Pakistan in either the Boxing Day or New Year’s Test would confirm their spot. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, remains in the race but faces a tough challenge—defeating Australia at home and relying on favourable results from other matches.
South Africa’s clinical performance and their march toward the WTC final underline their dominance in this cycle, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the upcoming matches.