Final frontier: South Africa up against Australia
Indeed. It has always been the case when it comes to finals. India had a dominating run to two WTC finals and an ODI World Cup, but none of it mattered in the summit clashes. Australia had a tough road to two of the aforementioned three finals and won both. In saying that, it is hard to ignore the larger picture and what it would mean to South Africa, who not long ago, had sent a second-rung Test team to New Zealand so that the top players could play in the SA20 league. It is also hard not to look at Bavuma and what it would mean for cricket in the rainbow nation to see their first black African batter and captain lead them to global gold.
He has, in fact, led them from the front. Bavuma captained SA in seven games this cycle and they won six and drew the other. He has faced more balls than any other Proteas batter and only David Bendingham has scored more runs. However, he cannot do it alone. He will need Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs and the rest of the batting line-up to rally around and rise to the occasion. Even more considering the well-settled bowling attack led by Kagiso Rabada. "They have a very good bowling attack and the likes of Rabada, Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj as well, a very crafty spinner. The batting also coming together nicely with Markram there and Stubbs and Bavuma who I believe really stands tall in this particular format when leading the team. So, all those factors are quite important," JioStar expert Sanjay Bangar said on the eve of the final.
They will be up against a team and a captain who has been there before and done it. Pat Cummins is not just among the best bowlers of his generation but also among the greatest captains of his generation. He is leading a generational bowling attack alongside Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood and has the support of another generational batter in Steve Smith. Not to forget Travis Head, who was the star in both the finals. In many ways, a win here would be the perfect peak for a generation of stars who helped Australia dominate in the past decade. The next-gen is already breaking into the team and not many of the current line-up might be there till the end of the next cycle.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
39 minutes ago
- India.com
WTC 2025 final: Despite finishing third, Team India get Rs…, Pakistan get only…
For the first time in WTC history, India may not be in the final, but they'll still walk away with a hefty prize for securing third place on the points table. The much-awaited Final of World Test Championship is being played between South Africa and Australia at Lord, London, started on June 11. The ICC has declared that the WTC 2023-25 cycle will have a record prize pool. Such a huge growth highlights the relevance of Test cricket in the international scene. An enormous exaggeration to the benefit of participating countries. India is not featuring in the WTC final first time. Having got to the final in the last two editions, they were third this time. It was a miserable exit to their tournament. The champion of the WTC 2023-25 will pocket a massive USD 3.6 million! The second place will win USD 2.16 million. Prize money which is a tremendous jump over the last cycle. After finishing as runners-up in both previous World Test Championship cycles—losing to New Zealand in 2021 and Australia in 2023—India missed out on the WTC 2025 Final for the first time in history. Despite the disappointment, the Men in Blue still secured third place, earning a record USD 1.44 million (Rs 12.30 crore). It is the first in the history of the WTC that teams that fail to make the top half of the table are earning hefty paychecks. Sri Lanka, the sixth placed team, will receive USD 840,000 with Bangladesh, the seventh placed side, pocketing USD 720,000. West Indies earned USD 600,000 as eighth placed team and even Pakistan, which ended up at the ninth position, will not go home without any cash in hand, as the team pocketed USD 480,000.
India Today
43 minutes ago
- India Today
Steve Smith goes past Sachin Tendulkar in elite list after gutsy fifty in WTC Final
Star Australia batter Steve Smith went past legendary India batter Sachin Tendulkar after his brilliant half-century on Day 1 of the World Test Championship (WTC) final 2025 against South Africa at Lord's, London. Smith played a gutsy innings of 66 (112) to rescue Australia from an early collapse and helped them reach 212 in their first was the second successive fifty-plus score for Smith in the WTC final after he scored a match-winning century in the last final played in 2023 against India. The Australia batter also registered his seventh fifty-plus score in the knockout stages of the ICC tournaments, and left Sachin Tendulkar in the list, who has six fifty-plus scores to his name in ICC now has the second-most fifty-plus scores in ICC knockouts after Virat Kohli, who comfortably sits at the top of the list with 11 such scores. In 13 knockout matches played in his career so far, Smith scored 650 runs at an average of 59.09 with two fifties and five half centuries. During the course of his innings, Smith also left behind Australia's Warren Bardsley (575 runs) to register most Test runs by a visiting batter at Lord's. Smith has now accumulated 591 runs at the iconic Lord's from ten innings at an average of 59.10 with two hundreds and three fifties to his highest score at the venue came during the 2015 Ashes, when he scored a magnificent 215 during the second Test. His second century at the venue came during the 2023 Ashes in another Smith forged a crucial 79-run stand with Beau Webster (72 off 92) to bail Australia out of trouble on Day 1 of the WTC Final against South Africa. The duo came together at the crease at the score of 67/4 and their stand was finally broken when Smith edged Aiden Markram to Marco Jansen at first his dismissal, Webster carried the innings ahead and helped the team reach 212. Later in the day, Australia got off to a terrific start with the ball as well, as Mitchell Starc (2/10) wreaked havoc on South Africa. They finished the day reeling at 43/4 with Temba Bavuma (3*) and David Bedingham (8*) at the crease.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
SA Vs AUS WTC Final Day 2 FREE Live Streaming Details: When And Where To Watch South Africa vs Australia Test Match Live Telecast On TV, Mobile APPs Online
WTC Final 2025: The bowlers dominated the first day of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 between Australia and South Africa at Lord's. A total of 14 wickets fell and only 255 runs were scored in the day. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and chose to bowl first. His decision worked well as South African bowlers dismissed Australia for 212 runs in just 56.4 overs. Rabada and Jansen Lead South Africa's Attack Star fast bowler Kagiso Rabada was the standout performer with impressive figures of 5/51. Left-arm seamer Marco Jansen also bowled well, picking up 3 wickets for 49 runs. For Australia, all-rounder Beau Webster top-scored with 72 runs, while experienced batter Steve Smith showed resistance with a gritty 69-run knock. Australia Strike Back With the Ball In reply, South Africa ended Day 1 at 43/4 in 22 overs. Australia's fast bowlers struck early to keep the match in balance. Mitchell Starc dismissed both openers, while Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood took one wicket each. Day 2 Weather Report: Slight Chance of Rain in the Afternoon Rain stayed away on Day 1, but there could be some interruptions on Day 2. Morning: Partly sunny and warm, 23°C, 12% chance of rain, 92% cloud cover. Afternoon: Similar conditions, but 55% chance of rain and 58% humidity. Evening: Partly cloudy, 17°C, only low chance of rain, and 71% humidity. WTC Final 2025 Day 2: Complete Live Streaming Details Where to Watch South Africa vs Australia WTC Final on TV? The South Africa vs Australia WTC Final 2025 will be telecast live on the Star Sports Network. What Time Does SA vs AUS WTC Final Day 2 Start? The South Africa vs Australia WTC Final Day 2 will begin at 03:00 PM IST. Where to Watch Online in India? Fans can watch the live streaming on the JioHotstar app and website. WTC Final SA vs AUS: Playing XI South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi. Australia: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wK), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
