Aiden Markram scored an unbeaten century as South Africa edged tantalisingly close to an unlikely success in the World Test Championship final, needing 69 runs to dethrone Australia after reaching 213-2 at stumps on the third day at Lord's on Friday.
The Proteas will now face the Group A runners-up in the semifinals, with India and New Zealand set to battle for Group A placings in Dubai on Sunday.
The tourists went to the close on 213 for one in their second innings, but still trail South Africa by 208 runs after they were forced to follow-on having been bowled out for 194 earlier in the day.
South Africa have eight wickets in hand and are now overwhelming favourites to finish off the job, and take the title away from champions Australia, who had set them a daunting fourth innings target of 282 in the final on Friday.
South Africa were five wickets from victory as Sri Lanka finished the third day of the first Test on 103-5 in their second innings after being set a 516-run target on Friday.
A flawless maiden hundred from opener Ryan Rickelton helped South Africa crush Afghanistan by 107 runs.
South Africa require five wickets and Sri Lanka need 143 runs as the second Test heads for a potentially exciting conclusion
Pakistan were always struggling to keep up the required run rate despite captain Mohamed Rizwan batting through to the last over before being dismissed for 74.
Indian golfer Diksha Dagar played a solid bogey-free 3-under 69 to move into title contention at the MCB Ladies Classic - Mauritius on the Ladies European Tour.
Ryan Rickelton posted the joint seventh-highest score by a South African in Tests with 259 as his side ran up a huge 615 before reducing Pakistan to 64/4 at the close on Day 2.
The depth of fast bowlers at South Africa's disposal was no better evidenced than on Thursday as Corbin Bosch and Dale Paterson took nine of the 10 wickets to dismiss Pakistan for 211 on the opening day of the first Test at Centurion.
Lockie Ferguson's exceptional bowling and Tom Latham's half-century powered New Zealand to an eight-wicket victory over South Africa in Auckland, giving the Kiwis a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
South Africa defeated New Zealand by 19 runs in the fourth T20I to level the five-match series 2-2. Connor Esterhuizen's half-century earned him Player of the Match.
Chasing a paltry target of 83, India completed the job with 52 balls to spare, reaching 84 for 1 in 11.2 overs.
Sri Lanka used the seamer friendly conditions at Kingsmead to reduce South Africa to 80/4 before rain stopped play on the opening day of the first Test
Diksha Dagar began strongly at the MCB Ladies Classic in Mauritius, carding a 4-under 68, highlighted by a hole-in-one. Agathe Laisne leads the field with an 8-under 64.
Pranavi Urs, the only Indian golfer to make the cut, improved her position at the Joburg Ladies Open, while several French golfers lead the competition.
South Africa continued their rampaging form in World Cup 2023 as they thrashed Bangladesh by 149 runs to jump to second place.
A clinical South Africa skittled Afghanistan for 56 on their way to a comprehensive nine-wicket victory in the first Twenty20 World Cup semi-final.
West Indies replaced Corey Collymore and Fidel Edwards with Dwayne Smith and Ian Bradshaw.
Sikandar Raza's superb all-round show, a blazing 73 and three key wickets, kept Zimbabwe in the contest before South Africa steadied nerves to seal a five-wicket win and book a T20 World Cup semi-final clash with New Zealand.
A belligerent half-century by Kevin Pietersen, his second consecutive of the tournament, helped England beat South Africa by 39 runs.
India faced a heavy defeat against South Africa in their T20 World Cup Super Eights opener after a batting collapse while chasing 188. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav admitted the failure to build partnerships cost them the game.
West Indies totalled 263 for nine, and South Africa replied with 266 for five in 47.5 overs in the fourth ODI.
Ryan Rickelton scored a maiden Test century as the hosts finished on 269-7 against Sri Lanka on the opening day
Images from the T20 World Cup Super 8s Group 2 match between South Africa and England at Gros Islet, St Lucia, on Friday.
Ravichandran Ashwin criticises India's team combination and batting order after their 76-run defeat to South Africa in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, questioning Rinku Singh's No.8 slot and Axar Patel's omission.
Images from the T20 World Cup semi-final between Afghanistan and South Africa, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy ground in Trinidad, on Thursday.
The Netherlands caused the World Cup's second major upset in three days, as it shocked an in-form South Africa by 38 runs.
South Africa skipper Aiden Markram applauded his bowlers for sealing a thrilling seven-run victory over England in a T20 World Cup Super Eight Group 2 match in St Lucia on Friday, saying they did not wilt under pressure.
De Zorzi ton guides South Africa to eight-wicket win over India
A place in the ICC ODI World Cup final once again eluded the South Africans as they went down to Australia by three wickets.
South Africa created history as they defended the lowest ever total in the history of the T20 World Cup.
Australia crashed to its first home Test series defeat in 16 years when they went down to South Africa by nine wickets in the second Test at the MCG on Tuesday. It was South Africa's first Test-series win on Australian soil.
David Miller's explosive innings not only showcased his exceptional finishing skills but also equaled David Warner's record for the most runs scored against India in T20 World Cups.
Finn Allen's explosive century guided New Zealand to a dominant victory over South Africa, securing their place in the T20 World Cup final.
South Africa captain Aiden Markram said his side clicked in all three departments of the game in their comfortable 57-run win over Canada in their opening Group D match of the T20 World Cup in Ahmedabad on Monday.
Sanju Samson became the first Indian to hit two consecutive hundreds in T20 Internationals to power the visitors to a thumping 60-run victory against South Africa.
South Africa got off to a sedate start after Michael Clarke's sterling century and some spectacular rearguard action powered Australia to 445 in their first innings on day two of the third and final Test in Sydney on Sunday. In reply, South Africa lost Neil McKenzie (23) to Peter Siddle and Graeme Smith (30 retired hurt) to injury before reaching 125 for one at stumps.
South Africa defeated Afghanistan by 59 runs in their Twenty20 World Cup group C match on Wednesday.
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