WTC final: What happens if Australia vs South Africa is drawn, tied or washed out?

India Today

2 days ago

Challengers South Africa are set to take on Australia in the final of the World Test Championship 2025. The summit clash is set to take place at the iconic Lord's stadium in London. Temba Bavuma's side are expected to pose a strong challenge to Pat Cummins' Australia, who have been in riveting form of late in the red-ball format.The Pat Cummins-led Australian side is looking to secure their second consecutive World Test Championship title, while South Africa, led by Temba Bavuma, aims to end a nearly three-decade-long drought without a major ICC trophy.advertisementSouth Africa has shown remarkable form in this cycle, topping the WTC standings thanks in part to their impressive 2-0 series win against Pakistan. This victory marked their seventh consecutive Test win, solidifying their position as a formidable force in the competition. The Proteas have been building momentum throughout the cycle, with strong performances against major teams, including a notable win over Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The final match is set to be played from June 11 to June 15, with June 16 reserved as a reserve day. The match promises to be intense, with both teams eager to claim the ICC mace. The game is expected to be affected by rain, especially on Day 2 of the Test.Here's what will happen if the World Test Championship final is drawn or gets washed out by rain.WTC Final: Australia vs South AfricaadvertisementIn case the Australia vs South Africa final gets washed out by rain, or is drawn or tied, both teams will have to share the WTC mace. However, to reduce the possibility of a draw, the match has a reserve day in place.WTC Final: What is the use of reserve day?The International Cricket Council has kept an extra day for this Test match from the very first final of the tournament. The reserve day (Day 6) is used for finishing the remaining overs of the game, in case the result does not come after five days of the match.This was the case in the 2021 final when the first day's play was washed out in Southampton between India and New Zealand, who played the first-ever WTC final. In that match, the reserve day was used to cover for the time that had been lost.WTC Final 2025: Weather forecastIt is mostly expected to be overcast in London during the match days. However, there is a 25 per cent chance of rainfall on Day 2 of the Test match.