South Africa may not reach WTC final 2027, Sri Lanka have better chance: Aakash Chopra
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that even if Sri Lanka struggle in New Zealand, the strength of their home advantage could prove decisive in helping them reach the finale of the championship.'Even if they get stuck in the two away matches in New Zealand, they have India, South Africa and Bangladesh at home. It is not a bad draw at all. Sri Lanka actually have decent chances. I feel Sri Lanka's chances of qualifying are better than South Africa's,' Chopra observed.Back in 2023, the team had a golden opportunity to seal a spot in the finals. The Dimuth Karunaratne-led side had to beat New Zealand in both the tests to qualify for the summit clash at the Oval, London, but ended up losing both the matches. In the previous 2023-25 cycle, they finished sixth on the points table with a win percentage of 38.46.Tough sub-continent tours could keep SA out of WTC Final: ChopraAnalysing South Africa's schedule, Chopra noted that their home matches will be far from straightforward. 'Australia and England series will be tough, while hosting Bangladesh will be comparatively easy,' he admitted.The away leg looks equally challenging for the Proteas, with tours to Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. All three are sub-continent series where spin is likely to play a key role, which Chopra believes will be tough for the defending champions.South Africa are coming off a high, having beaten Australia by five wickets in the 2023-25 WTC final to claim the World Test Mace. However, the road to another final will require them to adapt to spinning conditions away from home while still performing against competitive sides like Australia and England on home soil.- EndsMust Watch
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