Despite its flaws, the World Test Championship rightfully recognizes South Africa's cricket accomplishments.
Digging up old pains once more, South Africa seemingly fell flat on its face at the most inconvenient moment during the first Test against Pakistan. With a chance to reach the World Test Championship final, they were approximating failure at 99 for 8, chasing a meager 148 runs for victory in Centurion. This would've been an exceptionally harsh blow for a nation that's experienced numerous crushing defeats in cricket, very recently losing in the T20 World Cup final just half a year prior.
Albeit, batting conditions were challenging, and Pakistan - widely known for their unpredictable nature in cricket, on a roll like never before, was overwhelming. They appeared headed for their first Test victory in South Africa since 2007, having lost seven straight matches beforehand.
Appearing as though the derogatory labels that have burdened South African cricket for decades were resurfacing, lower-order batters Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen miraculously scored the necessary 51 runs to edge past their opponents and secure their spot in the WTC.
The elation was immense, albeit tainted by the sight of empty seats in the stands among such emotions. Most notably, South Africa was on the cusp of finally touching victory in a significant cricket title.
South Africa deserves a cricket championship. Admittedly, the WTC is a fundamentally flawed tournament, plagued by practical and logistical challenges that can't be matched with other sports.
There simply isn't time for a home-and-away format, casting a shadow of doubt on the tournament's integrity from the outset. Bitter rivals India and Pakistan, due to political differences, do not face off, complicating matters further.
Test cricket is struggling financially for many countries, including South Africa, where the interest is waning, as seen at Centurion by the scant crowd of 3600. Series need to be completed in the quickest manner possible, often concluding in a matter of a couple of weeks, before costs start piling up.
Long series, like the current Australia-India blockbuster, are viable only with heavyweights like Australia, England, and India involved.
Given the commercial realities, South Africa scheduled a modest series of two-Test engagements against smaller nations, helping them become the first team to secure a place in the WTC final to be held at Lord's.
Some argue that South Africa didn't deserve this accomplishment given their administrators' apparent disregard for Test cricket when sending a diluted squad to New Zealand earlier this year. This occurred as their high-profile players were conscripted for their budding T20 domestic franchise league, now South Africa's main sources of income.
A shorthanded South Africa was predictably outplayed in this tournament, but strangely, karma seems to hold no sway as they still qualified. It may be difficult for more prominent nations to understand, but for nations like South Africa, a revenue generator like T20 leagues is crucial.
Given that the powerful trio of nations has been reluctant to frequently engage with the rest, and as the sport's revenues remain heavily tilted in their favor, there seems little choice but for budding nations like South Africa to seek alternative sources of income.
Moreover, it's a well-deserved prize for South Africa's decades-long dedication to Test cricket. Since rejoining in 1992, they've been one of the red-ball format's most stable teams, showcasing a consistent run of success under Graeme Smith's tough-as-nails side in the late 2000s-early 2010s, an often-overlooked team in recent memory.
It's also a much-needed boost for Test cricket that a non-cricket power has reached the final following India and Australia's clash in the previous year's championship. The opponent remains to be determined, adding another layer of excitement to the breathtaking India-Australia contest and subsequent Australia's journey to Sri Lanka, who is also in contention.
A final between South Africa and Sri Lanka? The notion may send chills down the spines of broadcasters and administrators alike.
Despite its flaws, the WTC has proven to be an excellent effort by cricket's decision-makers, who are often criticized for their laxity in revitalizing the sport, but this time, they deserve praise.
And it all means that in June, on cricket's most traditional ground in the sport's historic heartland, South Africa may finally rid themselves of haunting ghosts that have tormented them for over three decades.
The business aspect of South Africa's cricket strategy became evident as they scheduled two-Test engagements against smaller nations, aiming to secure a revenue source through T20 leagues. Despite criticism for fielding a diluted squad in previous tours, the team's success in qualifying for the WTC final highlights the importance of sportsmoney in their strategy.
