Australia's Road to WTC Final: Aussies eye back-to-back titles at Lord's

Time of India

18 hours ago

Australia captain Pat Cummins and South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma (ICC Photo)
As the clock ticks down to the highly anticipated World Test Championship (WTC) Final between Australia and South Africa at Lord's from June 11,
Pat Cummins
' men arrive in London with a clear mission — to retain the mace they lifted two years ago at The Oval after defeating India in the 2023 final.
Ranked No. 1 in the ICC Test rankings, Australia's journey to the WTC 2023-25 Final has been a display of consistency, resilience, and depth. Across 19 matches, the Aussies won 13, lost four, and drew two, amassing 154 points with a points percentage (PCT) of 67.54% - enough to secure second place on the standings and a shot at repeating history.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Their campaign began with two wins in the Ashes before England rallied back to square the series 2-2.
That was followed by a dominant 3-0 sweep of Pakistan at home, reaffirming Australia's strength in familiar conditions.
Poll
Who do you think will win the WTC Final between Australia and South Africa?
Australia
South Africa
However, their unbeaten home run was halted in dramatic fashion by West Indies' Shamar Joseph, who bowled the visitors to a stunning win in Brisbane, levelling the series 1-1.
On the road, Australia showed class with a 2-0 sweep in New Zealand, a notoriously difficult venue for visiting teams. That success laid the foundation for their critical home series against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Despite a heavy defeat in the opener, Australia bounced back in commanding style, winning three of the next four Tests to not only win the series but virtually seal their WTC Final spot.
MLC: Venky Harinarayan on growing cricket in the USA, AI-driven teams and the Olympic boost
A concluding tour of Sri Lanka saw the Australians secure a 2-0 clean sweep in subcontinental conditions, rounding off a well-balanced campaign across different surfaces and continents.
The Australians, led by Cummins, will rely on the experience of Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, and Nathan Lyon, while explosive talents like Travis Head and Cameron Green offer a dynamic edge.
They now face a hungry South African side led by Temba Bavuma - a team aiming to end a 25-year ICC trophy drought.
Quiz:
Who's that IPL player?
Match Details
Venue: Lord's, London
Dates: June 11–15 (Reserve Day: June 16)
Start Time: 10:30 AM Local Time (3 PM IST)
Australia's Squad for WTC Final
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, Matt Kuhnemann Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett