Australia and South Africa will head to Lord's this summer after securing their place in the World Test Championship final.
South Africa booked their place with a nervy two-wicket win over Pakistan at Centurion in late December, while Australia ensured they would be the opponents of the Proteas with a six-wicket win over India in the New Year Test in Sydney.
It will now be Proteas vs Baggy Greens at the home of cricket from June 11, live Sky Sportsand Australia are looking for back-to-back titles after beating India at the 2023 Kia Oval.
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South Africa have guaranteed their place in next year's World Test Cup final at Lord's after a two-wicket win over Pakistan in Centurion
Pat Cummins' triumph at the SCG ended India and Sri Lanka's hopes of making the final.
England were already out of contention due to too many defeats and the indiscretion of overpriced prices in the two-year cycle.
How does the points system work?
Each of the nine teams – Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies – play six series (three home and three away).
Since the teams do not play an equal number of games, the standings are determined by percentage of points won, with 12 points for a win getting you 100 percent, six for a draw 50 percent and four for a draw 33.3 percent.
If you lose a game, you walk away with nothing.
Ben Stokes' England are out of the running for a place in the World Test Championship final
Teams can lose points for overvaluing offences, as England and Australia did during the 2023 Ashes and, more recently, the series-opening Test against New Zealand.
England were deducted a staggering 19 points in total for slow overs in the first, second, fourth and fifth Tests of the 2023 Ashes, followed by three more against New Zealand in Christchurch in late 2024, taking their total to a staggering 22 in total. .