Photo Credit: Instagram Photo of @kevinpietersen
Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has voiced his dissatisfaction with the World Test Championship (WTC) qualification process following South Africa’s entry into the 2025 WTC Final after their Test series win over Pakistan.
South Africa’s qualification, despite playing only 11 matches during the 2023-25 cycle, has sparked debate. England, who played a demanding 22 matches and secured 11 victories—the highest by any team—sit in sixth place due to the Points Percentage (PCT) system used to determine standings.
Pietersen took to social media platform X to defend South Africa against criticism, instead highlighting flaws in the WTC’s structural framework.
“Cricket South Africa didn’t create the FTP for their WTC qualification, so criticising them for qualification isn’t fair. You play the cards you get dealt. The qualification process is the issue, and I’m sure it’s something Jay Shah will fix,” he wrote, urging the ICC Chairman to address the perceived inequalities.
Cricket South Africa didn’t create the FTP for their WTF qualification, so criticising them for qualification isn’t fair. You play the cards you get dealt.
The qualification process is the issue and I’m sure it’s something @JayShah will fix.— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) December 31, 2024
Under the current PCT system, a team’s earned points are divided by the maximum possible points from their matches. While this rewards consistent performance, it disproportionately affects teams with more fixtures, exposing them to a higher risk of point loss.
England, for instance, played twice as many matches as South Africa, increasing their exposure to potential defeats and ultimately excluding them from the final despite strong performances. Similarly, Australia (16 matches) and India (18 matches) filled out the top three, while teams with lighter schedules, like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, benefited from reduced fixture fatigue.
Critics, including Pietersen, argue this creates an uneven playing field and undermines the credibility of the standings.
As the June 11 final approaches, calls for reform in the WTC’s qualification process are growing louder, emphasizing the need for a fairer and more balanced system.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Stay ahead of the latest cricket industry trends by subscribing to our free cricexec “daily briefing” newsletter.
Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
