Updated 10 June 2025 at 19:00 IST
WTC 2025 Final: The stage is set for Pat Cummins' Australia and Temba Bavuma's South Africa to clash in the 'Ultimate Test', the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 Final. Australia are the defending champions of the Test mace, whereas South Africa will be appearing in the WTC 2025 Final for the very first time. Pat Cummins is standing on the verge of history and is just one step away from equalling Ricky Ponting's record of winning three ICC trophies while leading the Aussies.
Pat Cummins' Australia will be starting the World Test Championship (WTC) Final as one of the favourites. The Aussies, as compared to South Africa, have the experience of playing on big stages and have better experience of handling pressure. The Australian team has also been clinical in the purest format of the game lately and has ticked all the boxes to reach the WTC 2025 Final and set a date with Temba Bavuma's South Africa. Australia undoubtedly have taken a big gamble on Marnus Labuschagne.
They had someone like Sam Konstas up in their ranks, but Cummins and Co. have shown immense faith in experience over youth, and Labuschagne will have the responsibility to open the innings and give Australia a flying start, which gives them the best chance to take advantage over South Africa. The Aussies have also managed to do the unthinkable and have somehow managed to fit in Beau Webster and Cameron Green in the same XI.
Australia has a fairly long batting lineup, and if the tail wags, South Africa will have a very tough time.
Australia's XI: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Josh Hazlewood.
Australian skipper Pat Cummins will be hopeful that he can retain his Test mace and become the first-ever skipper to defend the WTC crown. Cummins is yet to lose an ICC event final, and he will like to keep this record intact.
Published 10 June 2025 at 17:43 IST