 |
|
The highly anticipated World Test Championship (WTC) Final between Australia and South Africa is set to take place at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London from June 11 to June 15, 2025. This match holds significant importance for both teams, with Australia looking to solidify their dominance in Test cricket and South Africa aiming to break their long-standing drought for an ICC trophy. The context surrounding this final is rich with history, rivalry, and the pursuit of cricketing glory. For South Africa, the WTC Final represents more than just an opportunity to win a global title; it is a chance to exorcise the ghosts of past failures and finally claim an ICC trophy after a wait of over two decades. The memories of the 1999 World Cup semi-final against Australia, where a dramatic tie resulted in their elimination, still linger in the minds of South African cricket fans. This final offers the Proteas a chance to rewrite history and achieve a long-awaited triumph. Australia, on the other hand, enters the final with the confidence of a team that has already tasted WTC success. They lifted the mace in 2023, defeating India in the final, and have consistently performed well in Test cricket over the past few years. Their journey to this final has been marked by dominant performances and key victories, making them a formidable opponent. The path to the final for Australia was paved with strong performances in various Test series. They began with a solid showing in the Ashes series against England, followed by a clean sweep of Pakistan at home. A significant achievement was their Border Gavaskar Trophy win over India, a testament to their ability to perform under pressure against a strong opponent. Despite a surprising defeat to the West Indies, Australia maintained their consistency with victories in Sri Lanka and continued to dominate the Test rankings. South Africa's journey to the final was more turbulent. They faced early setbacks with losses to India and a series defeat to a second-string New Zealand team. However, under the leadership of Temba Bavuma, they demonstrated resilience and bounced back with crucial away wins against the West Indies and Bangladesh. Their home series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan proved decisive, with a 2-0 victory against Pakistan securing their place in the WTC Final. The final showdown against Australia at Lord’s promises to be a thrilling contest. Both teams have named their playing XIs, with Australia making a few adjustments to their lineup. Marnus Labuschagne will open the batting alongside Travis Head, while Josh Hazlewood and Cameron Green return from injuries. South Africa has largely retained the core of their team, with Lungi Ngidi replacing Kwena Mphaka in the pace attack. The key players to watch out for include Australia's Steve Smith, Travis Head, and Pat Cummins, as well as South Africa's Temba Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada, and Keshav Maharaj. The conditions at Lord’s are expected to play a significant role in the outcome of the match. A dry start to the English summer suggests that the pitch may offer more assistance to spinners than usual. However, traditionally, the surface aids seamers early on with the Dukes ball swinging throughout the day. Batting is expected to become easier as play progresses, making the first innings crucial for both teams. The weather forecast for the final is generally favorable, although there is a possibility of rain on Day 2. The presence of a reserve day (June 16) ensures that there is ample opportunity to complete the match, even if time is lost due to weather conditions. In the event of a draw, tie, or washout, both teams will share the WTC title.
The inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) Final in 2021 saw New Zealand emerge as the champions, defeating India by eight wickets at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. Kane Williamson led the Kiwis with exceptional leadership, supported by disciplined bowling and composed batting. Kyle Jamieson was named Player of the Match for his outstanding all-round performance. The second edition of the WTC in 2023 witnessed Australia triumph over India at The Oval in London. Pat Cummins' team showcased dominance across all departments, with Travis Head's counterattacking century in the first innings setting the tone for their victory. Australia secured a 209-run win, becoming the second team to claim the prestigious Test crown. The upcoming final between Australia and South Africa will be held at Lord's Cricket Ground in London from June 11 to June 15, 2025. The match is scheduled to begin at 3:30 PM (IST), with the toss taking place at 3:00 PM (IST). Australia has made strategic adjustments to their playing XI for the WTC Final against South Africa. Pat Cummins confirmed that Marnus Labuschagne will open the batting alongside Travis Head. Youngster Sam Konstas remains out of the lineup after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Josh Hazlewood and Cameron Green are back in the team after recovering from injuries that sidelined them in recent Test series. South Africa has largely maintained the core of their team that secured a series win against Pakistan. The only change sees Lungi Ngidi returning from injury, replacing Kwena Mphaka in the pace attack. In India, the WTC Final between Australia and South Africa will be broadcast live on Star Sports Network. The match can also be streamed live on the JioHotstar app and website in multiple languages. Australia has a rich history at Lord's, having played 40 matches, winning 18, losing 7, and drawing 15. South Africa has played 17 matches at Lord's, winning 6, losing 7, and drawing 4. The head-to-head record between Australia and South Africa in Tests shows that Australia has won 54 matches, South Africa has won 26, and 21 matches have ended in a draw out of the 101 Tests played between the two sides.
The 2025 World Test Championship Final features a record prize pool, with the winners set to receive US $3.6 million and the runners-up taking home US $2.16 million. This represents a significant increase from the previous two finals, where the champions were awarded $1.6 million and second place received $800,000. Both Australia and South Africa have limited experience playing at Lord's in early June, making the conditions somewhat unfamiliar for both teams. A dry start to the English summer suggests that the pitch may offer more assistance to spinners than usual. Traditionally, the surface aids seamers early on with the Dukes ball swinging throughout the day, but batting is expected to become easier as play progresses. In the most recent Test match at Lord's in September 2024, Joe Root scored a century as England defeated Sri Lanka by 190 runs. The weather forecast for the WTC Final at Lord's indicates mostly favorable conditions, although the opening day may see some overcast weather and rain is possible on Day 2, June 12. The subsequent three days are expected to bring improved playing conditions with sunshine and occasional clouds. Overall, there is an 8–25% chance of rain during the match, with temperatures ranging between 17C and 25C. The World Test Championship Final includes a sixth day—June 16—as a reserve day. This will be used only if time is lost during the first five days due to weather and cannot be recovered within the scheduled match duration. The purpose is to allow sufficient time for a result if rain or bad light disrupts play, similar to what occurred in the 2021 WTC Final between India and New Zealand, where Day 1 was completely washed out and the reserve day was utilized. If the match still concludes without a result—either through a draw, tie, or washout, even after utilizing the reserve day—both Australia and South Africa will share the WTC title. The reserve day is intended solely to compensate for lost playing hours and cannot be used simply because a match is tied or heading toward a draw. South Africa topped the table for the first time in history with eight wins from 12 matches and a win percentage of 69.44 in the WTC 2023-25 points table. Australia finished ahead of India with 13 wins in 19 matches and a win percentage of 67.
South Africa last won an ICC title in men’s cricket in 1998. Australia’s most recent ICC title was in 2023 when they won the ODI World Cup in Ahmedabad. In Australia's maiden WTC final win against India by 209 runs at the Oval in 2023, Australia posted 469 in their first innings, thanks to centuries from Steve Smith and Travis Head. In response, India were bowled out for 296 despite 89 from Ajinkya Rahane and handy knocks from Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur. Australia went on to add 270 in their second innings before bundling India out for 234 in the final innings. Travis Head won the Player of the Match for setting the tone with his blazing 163 off 174 balls.
Source: WTC final Australia vs South Africa: All the FAQs answered