New Delhi: South Africa will face Australia in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) at Lord’s on June 11. Temba Bavuma and Co. reached in the final of the tournament for the first time while Pat Cummins-led Australia are the defending champions.
Both teams have announced their playing XI for the mega clash on Tuesday. There were a few questions around the third fast bowler in the South African team, but the Proteas men have decided to go with Lungi Ngidi. For Australia, Marnus Labuschagne will open the innings with Usman Khawaja.
Both teams have met three times in neutral Test matches, with all three matches played in 1912. Australia won two of those Tests in Manchester and Lord’s. The third at Nottingham was drawn.
South Africa look to banish choker tag in final
The Proteas men will look to shed their reputation as international cricket’s chokers. Despite having some of the world’s best players, South Africa only managed to win one ICC title in the last 27 years. They secured the ICC Knockout Trophy (also known as the Champions Trophy) in 1998 but fell short after that at crucial moments.
In the 2024 T20 World Cup final, South Africa needed just 30 runs off 30 balls with six wickets in hand, but they still lost it against India in Barbados. On the other side, the Aussies boast a stunning record in the ICC events. The Aussies have won the ODI World Cup a record six times, claimed the Champions Trophy two times, and also won the T20 World Cup in 2021. They are also the defending champions of the World Test Championship.
Temba Bavuma unbeaten as Test Captain, HazleGod finals specialist
Temba Bavuma was appointed as the skipper of the South African Test team on February, 17, 2023 and has never lost a red-ball match since then. Under his captaincy, the Proteas have played nine Test matches and won eight of them, while one match ended in a draw.
Australia’s fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has played in eight finals across formats and never lost one. His streak got even better when he helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) win their first-ever IPL title in 2025, breaking a 17-year drought. He’s set to play this time for Australia after missing the last WTC final due to injury.
How much prize money will winner and runner-up get?
The winner of the World Test Championship final will earn USD 3.6 million (Rs. 30.80 Crore), a big jump from the USD 1.6 million awarded in both 2021 and 2023, while the runner-up will get USD 2.16 million (Rs. 18.48 Crore), up from USD 800,000. India finished third on the table and will receive $1.44 million (Rs. 12.32 crore).
From Temba Bavuma’s unbeaten Test captaincy record to prize money, know what’s at stake in the 2025 World Test Championship final. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
