Entering the 3rd official World Test Championship Finals, this should be a tightly contested matchup between two squads in form. As Australia takes on South Africa, the Aussies will look to win their 2nd straight tournament in test, while the opposing squad is hoping for an international trophy breakthrough. The South Africa vs Australia WTC Final 2025 will be played on June 11th at 3:30 P.M. IST in the historic Lord’s Stadium of London, England.
South Africa Preview
With this South Africa unit looking for revenge after losing a tough T20 World Cup last year, they hope to rebound in a big way by winning the World Test Championship. Having also struggled a bit during the Champions Trophy against New Zealand, captain Temba Bavuma says he has this team on the right track.
Someone who has produced 3,606 runs and 24 half-centuries, his great ability to play shots at an uncommon stature will give South Africa one great middle-order option. As Ryan Rickelton, 616 runs in 10 matches, and Aiden Markram are looked upon to open, Tony De Zorzi’s two half-centuries add even more potential for this batting unit’s breakout.
Although Rickleton will go in as the team’s main wicketkeeper, stylish batsman Kyle Verreynee, 1060 runs in just 24 tests played, could keep switching with him. Having someone like Wiaan Mulder, who’s more than capable to bat at 5-to-7 down, he and Marco Jansen can really pile on some late runs for this team.
Although Mulder has struggled in bowling during test matches, Jansen’s 73 wickets in just 17 matches continue proving why he is one of the scariest left-handed pacers. With Keshav Maharaj nearing 200 wickets, he is a top spin option at Lord’s, while Rabada’s wicket-taking consistency will be on show once again. All in all, this looks like a very well-balanced squad from top to bottom and could make a push during this match.
Australia Preview
On the other end, Australia looks to make history once again and win its 11th ICC title. A team that seems like it will never go away, this group’s going to be led by Pat Cummins and his 1454 runs plus 294 wickets. One of the key all-rounders who will always keep his team in the match, this team’s batting will once again open with Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne.
Although they had started Sam Konstas during their series against India last December, Khawaja, with 5930 runs, has always shown consistency with his 45.61 average. Knocking in 16 hundreds, he was joined by Marnus Labuschagne, who made some impressive strides as a test cricketer. Having Steve Smith’s class as a cover-drive player and someone who can take games into his own hands, he will be there with Travis Head, who is looking to hit 4,000 test runs.
Showing that they have depth with Josh Inglis and Alex Carey coming down the order, the most exciting thing for them is Cameron Green’s return as their only all-rounder. Talking about Australia’s bowling alongside the previously mentioned Pat Cummins, it easily remains amongst the top.
With Mitchell Starc, 382 wickets, trying to retire as the best left-handed bowler Australia ever had, Josh Hazelwood’s clutchness in finals games will play a huge factor. As Nathan Lyon has over 500 wickets too, this might be a key to why Australia could dominate the match.
South Africa vs Australia WTC Final Playing XI
South Africa (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma(c), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
Australia (Playing XI): Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
South Africa vs Australia WTC Final Prediction
Although Australia has consistently been a top-tier Test unit, South Africa will play with a completely different intensity in this match. Hoping for revenge from past failures, if their top three batsmen can perform strongly, they should be well-positioned, especially with a stronger lower batting order than Australia.
Additionally, South Africa’s bowling unit has a strong chance of creating problems for Australia’s newer batting lineup, potentially forcing them into lower scores. With this in mind, the prediction is for South Africa to win by 4 wickets if bowling first, or by 20-30 runs if batting first.
Our Prediction – South Africa to Win the WTC Final!
