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The stage is set for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, with Australia and South Africa ready to clash for the ultimate prize in Test cricket. The much-anticipated match will take place on June 11 at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.
As the countdown begins, Australian captain Pat Cummins and South African skipper Temba Bavuma came together for a special photo session with the ICC Test mace at Lord’s on Sunday. The trophy will be awarded to the winner of the final, crowning them the world champions in Test cricket.
Both teams have been training hard and are full of confidence, boasting several world-class players. South Africa’s squad has received a boost with the return of pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada, who is back after serving a suspension related to a drug case.
South Africa comes into the final as the top team in the WTC 2023-25 standings. They have won eight out of their 12 Test matches in this cycle. Their campaign included a drawn home series against India (1-1), a 2-0 loss in New Zealand, followed by strong series victories over West Indies (1-0), Bangladesh (2-0), Sri Lanka (2-0), and Pakistan (2-0).
Australia, the defending champions, are second on the WTC table. They have 13 wins and four losses from 19 Tests. Their journey featured a 2-0 win over Sri Lanka, a 3-1 series win against India, and a 2-0 sweep of New Zealand. They also drew 1-1 with the West Indies, whitewashed Pakistan 3-0, and ended the Ashes series in a 2-2 draw with England.
Squads for the WTC final:
Australia: Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (captain), Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, Kyle Verreynne, David Bedingham, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Senuran Muthusamy, Dane Paterson.
