Steve Smith's Injury Raises Concerns During World Test Championship Final

Australia Faces Injury Scare with Steve Smith

Australia experienced a significant scare when veteran batsman Steve Smith injured his finger while attempting a catch on the third day of the ICC World Test Championship Final against South Africa at Lord's, known as the Home of Cricket.

While positioned close at slip with a helmet, Smith missed a catch off pacer Mitchell Starc's delivery, allowing South African captain Temba Bavuma to edge the ball. At that moment, Bavuma had only scored two runs.

The situation escalated when Smith hurt his finger and had to exit the field for medical attention.

Latest Update on Steve Smith's Condition

Smith began the final session of the day off the field to receive additional treatment and was subsequently taken to the hospital for scans.

Australia's team confirmed, "Steve Smith has suffered a compound dislocation of his right little finger while fielding in the slip cordon during the ICC Men's World Test Championship Final against South Africa at Lord's."

He was evaluated by the medical staff on-site before being transported to the hospital for x-rays and further care.

South Africa's Progress in the Match

As the third session progressed, South Africa was well into their run chase of 282 against Australia in the WTC final. Aiden Markram was approaching a century, while Temba Bavuma was battling through an injury, nearing a fifty. At that point, South Africa had scored 154 runs for the loss of two wickets after 38 overs.

Markram and Mulder Strengthen South Africa's Batting

A strong partnership between Aiden Markram and Wiaan Mulder helped South Africa stabilize their innings at the end of the second session on day three of the WTC final. By the session's conclusion, South Africa was at 94 runs for the loss of two wickets, with skipper Temba Bavuma on 11* and Markram on 49*.

Earlier, Starc delivered an impressive performance, contributing significantly to Australia's total of 207 runs, leading to a 281-run lead at lunch. Starc remained unbeaten at 58, setting the stage for South Africa to chase 282 runs to break their ICC title drought, while Australia aimed to bowl out South Africa to defend their WTC title.