WTC Final 2025: Australia Notch Up Unwated 15-year First in ICC Men's Events After Loss to South Africa

The WTC Final 2025 will forever be remembered as the day that South Africa ended their huge jinx as far as winning ICC tournaments is concerned. The Proteas have been one of the top sides in world cricket for the past two decades but have found success in ICC tournaments hard to come by - earning them the ‘chokers’ nickname as they found creative ways to lose in such tournaments. 

However, the Australia vs South Africa WTC final at Lord's, which saw Temba Bavuma's men end a 27-year streak, also snapped a rather underrated but still impressive streak that was being held on to by the Australian cricket team. 

This is the first time in 15 years that the Australian men's cricket team have made it to the final of an ICC event and ended up on the losing side of the match. 

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A Brief Look at Australia's Streak

The last time that Australia took part in and lost the final of an ICC men's event was all the way back in 2010, when they lost the World T20 final against England. 

Since then, they have ended up on the winning side of every men's final they played in before the WTC Final 2025. 

They won the final of the ICC World Cup in 2015, then lifted the T20 World Cup final in 2021 - their first win of the tournament in the shortest format. 

Pat Cummins and co. also lifted the WTC Final title in 2023 and followed that up with a win in the 2023 ICC World Cup too. 

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‘No Defending Champions’ Trend Continues

One streak that did continue, however, is the curse of the defending champions as far as the WTC final is concerned. 

There have been three editions of the WTC final and the defending champions have never been able to retain the title. 

New Zealand won the maiden final but did not even make it to the 2023 final, whereas Australia lost in the 2025 final.