This year has proved to be one of the most memorable years for South African cricket, but could 2026 hold even more success? The T20 World Cup is in sights and a major performance is expected.
The Champions Trophy in 2025 saw the Proteas make it to the semi-finals of the tournament in a run that could have ended in an appearance in the showpiece final.
They then took a major step forward in the Test arena by making it to the World Test Championship Final for the first time. Facing Australia in the final was a daunting task, but it did not stop them from securing one of the great Test wins at Lords’ Cricket Ground.
A low-scoring match saw no team score above 300 runs in an innings, but this did not dull the excitement. Indeed, Aiden Markram scored the one and only century of the match, and this proved decisive as the Proteas notched a five-wicket win and the trophy.
Their maiden appearance at the World Test Championship Final ended in South Africa securing silverware, something they have seemed a long way off in recent years. After having to watch Australia, England and India lift trophies across the formats in recent years, it was finally South Africa’s turn.
Now, the World Test Championship winners must turn their attention to the antithesis of the Test game as they build towards the T20 World Cup in 2026.
Currently ranked fifth in the world in the shortest format, South Africa are looking to build on an impressive run to the final in 2024, where they lost to India by just seven runs.
Losing by such a small margin will have been devastating, but it shows continued growth that they are not only making it to finals, but they are also now contesting them properly.
Bets.co.za have revealed that South Africa one of the favourites with the bookies to win the competition in 2026, sitting alongside Australia in the betting and ahead of fourth favourites England.
The odds are dominated by India, who are clearly the side to beat. More important for South Africa is the fact they are so far ahead of the likes of the West Indies, Pakistan and New Zealand.
So often, South Africa have fallen into the quartet behind the front three of India, Australia and England. Now, they make up the quartet at the top, ahead of the Windies, Black Caps and Pakistan. All of this is serious progress for South Africa.
Of course, the odds only mean so much at this stage. A string of defeats in the build up to the tournament will see things change, and this is without even mentioning what a loss in their opener would do.
However, a strong run of form in the build up to the tournament coupled with a solid start is vital. The teams in their group will also have an impact on their chances of winning the competition, but this will not be something that is decided until later in the year.
South African cricket has for so long been forced to watch on as others lift trophies and contest major finals. With a World Test Championship Final win under their belt along with consistent showings in the latter stages of major cricketing competitions, South Africa are clearly building towards something.
The major question for them will now revolve around whether they can make this momentum count across the formats by securing the T20 men’s World Cup trophy for the first time in their history in 2026.