South Africa Opts to Bowl First Against Australia in World Test Championship Final
World Test Championship Final Begins at Lord's
London, June 11: South Africa has won the toss and chosen to bowl first against Australia in the 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final held at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground. This marks the first occasion that Lord’s is hosting a World Test Championship Final. A reserve day has been scheduled for June 16, in case of any weather interruptions during the initial five days.
Australia enters the match as the defending champions, while this is South Africa's inaugural appearance in the final. Temba Bavuma, the captain of South Africa, mentioned that the pitch appears favorable, but the weather conditions influenced his decision to bowl first.
“We decided to bowl first due to the overhead conditions. The pitch looks promising. It’s too late to alter the team; we believe we have the best lineup. All 15 players are confident. We all share a connection to Lord's, and the emotions will be overwhelming when the anthems start playing. This is a significant final, and it promises to be a great spectacle,” he stated.
On the other hand, Australia’s captain Pat Cummins expressed his satisfaction with batting first in such a crucial championship match. "The preparation has been exceptional. Everyone in the team is ready. We’ve had about ten days to prepare, and I don’t feel any added pressure. We’ve been in this position before and emerged victorious, so it’s about enjoying the moment," he remarked.
A pitch report from Nasser Hussain and Stuart Broad indicated that the conditions are cloudy with a light breeze, and there is a minimal chance of rain. The square boundaries measure 63m and 67m, with longer straight boundaries.
Playing XIs
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Josh Hazlewood.
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, and Lungi Ngidi.