The 2023-2025 cycle ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final was held from June 11 to 14, 2025, at the ‘Mecca of Cricket,’ Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. The South Africa team, led by Temba Bavuma, defeated Australia, led by Pat Cummins, by a margin of 5 wickets to win the first World Championship title in their Test cricket history. This victory ended South Africa’s 27-year drought for an ICC trophy. The match concluded within four days.
Toss and Australia’s First Innings: Rabada’s Dominance
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and elected to field first. The Australian batting lineup faced immense trouble against the destructive swing bowling of their primary bowler, Kagiso Rabada (5/51). Thanks to a fighting innings by Test debutant Beau Webster (72), Australia somehow managed to score 212 runs in their first innings.
Australia Batting Scorecard (First Innings)
| Batter | Run | Ball | 4 | 6 | Strike Rate | Dismissal |
| Usman Khawaja | 8 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 53.33 | c Bavuma b Jansen |
| David Warner | 33 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 110.00 | c Markram b Rabada |
| Marnus Labuschagne | 29 | 67 | 4 | 0 | 43.26 | c Bedingham b Jansen |
| Steve Smith | 7 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 50.00 | b Rabada |
| Travis Head | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 50.00 | c Markram b Rabada |
| Beau Webster | 72 | 92 | 10 | 1 | 78.26 | b Maharaj |
| Alex Carey (WK) | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 57.14 | b Jansen |
| Mitchell Starc | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 66.66 | c Bavuma b Rabada |
| Pat Cummins (C) | 15 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 51.72 | b Markram |
| Josh Hazlewood | 11 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 44.00 | not out |
| Nathan Lyon | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 | b Rabada |
Extra Runs: 15 (Leg Byes 8, Wides 5, No Balls 2)
Total: 212 Runs (10 Wickets, 56.4 Overs)
South Africa Bowling Scorecard (First Innings)
| Bowler | Over | Maiden | Run | Wicket | Economy |
| Kagiso Rabada | 15.4 | 5 | 51 | 5 | 3.25 |
| Marco Jansen | 15 | 5 | 49 | 3 | 3.27 |
| Lungi Ngidi | 8 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 5.62 |
| Wiaan Mulder | 11 | 3 | 36 | 0 | 3.27 |
| Keshav Maharaj | 6 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 2.16 |
South Africa’s First Innings: Cummins’ Counter-Attack
In response to Australia’s 212 runs, captain Pat Cummins (6/28) single-handedly collapsed the South African batting lineup. Despite some resistance from David Bedingham (45), South Africa were bowled out for just 138 runs due to Cummins’ superb bowling on the swing-friendly Lord’s pitch, giving Australia a crucial 74-run lead.
South Africa Batting Scorecard (First Innings)
| Batter | Run | Ball | 4 | 6 | Strike Rate | Dismissal |
| Aiden Markram | 6 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 24.00 | c Smith b Starc |
| Riyan Rickelton | 5 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 41.66 | c Carey b Hazlewood |
| Theunis de Bruyn | 11 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 57.89 | lbw b Starc |
| David Bedingham | 45 | 114 | 4 | 0 | 39.47 | lbw b Cummins |
| Temba Bavuma (C) | 7 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 19.44 | c Khawaja b Cummins |
| Wiaan Mulder | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 40.00 | c Carey b Cummins |
| Tristan Stubbs | 9 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 29.03 | c Carey b Lyon |
| Kyle Verreynne (WK) | 21 | 43 | 3 | 0 | 48.83 | c Head b Cummins |
| Marco Jansen | 3 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 23.07 | c Smith b Cummins |
| Kagiso Rabada | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 66.66 | not out |
| Keshav Maharaj | 8 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 53.33 | b Cummins |
Extra Runs: 17 (Leg Byes 8, Wides 2, No Balls 7)
Total: 138 Runs (10 Wickets, 57.1 Overs)
Australia Bowling Scorecard (First Innings)
| Bowler | Over | Maiden | Run | Wicket | Economy |
| Pat Cummins (C) | 18.1 | 5 | 28 | 6 | 1.54 |
| Mitchell Starc | 16 | 5 | 42 | 2 | 2.62 |
| Josh Hazlewood | 13 | 3 | 33 | 1 | 2.53 |
| Nathan Lyon | 8 | 1 | 26 | 1 | 3.25 |
| Beau Webster | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1.50 |
Australia’s Second Innings: Starc’s Fight
Starting with a 74-run lead, Australia’s second innings saw them lose wickets quickly as well. Veteran Mitchell Starc (58*) fought hard with the bat in the lower order. Despite the resistance from Starc and Alex Carey (66), Australia were bowled out for 207 runs in the second innings. This set a challenging target of 282 runs for South Africa to win.
Australia Batting Scorecard (Second Innings)
| Batter | Run | Ball | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate | Dismissal |
| Usman Khawaja | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | c Rickelton b Jansen |
| David Warner | 6 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 30.00 | b Rabada |
| Marnus Labuschagne | 10 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 33.33 | c Verreynne b Jansen |
| Steve Smith | 79 | 142 | 11 | 0 | 55.63 | c Rickelton b Rabada |
| Travis Head | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 83.33 | c Verreynne b Jansen |
| Beau Webster | 9 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 47.37 | b Rabada |
| Alex Carey (WK) | 66 | 95 | 9 | 0 | 69.47 | b Mulder |
| Mitchell Starc | 58* | 136 | 7 | 0 | 42.64 | not out |
| Pat Cummins (C) | 16 | 31 | 3 | 0 | 51.61 | c Stubbs b Rabada |
| Josh Hazlewood | 5 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 41.66 | b Maharaj |
| Nathan Lyon | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 50.00 | c Verreynne b Rabada |
Extra Runs: 10 (Leg Byes 4, Wides 4, No Balls 2)
Total: 207 Runs (10 Wickets, 65 Overs)
South Africa Bowling Scorecard (Second Innings)
| Bowler | Over | Maiden | Run | Wicket | Economy |
| Kagiso Rabada | 18 | 4 | 59 | 4 | 3.28 |
| Marco Jansen | 12 | 2 | 52 | 3 | 4.33 |
| Lungi Ngidi | 10 | 1 | 35 | 0 | 3.50 |
| Wiaan Mulder | 12 | 3 | 43 | 1 | 3.58 |
| Keshav Maharaj | 13 | 3 | 18 | 2 | 1.38 |
South Africa’s Title Victory: Markram’s Masterclass
Chasing a difficult target of 282 runs, South Africa came under pressure after losing 4 wickets early on Day 4. However, an historic partnership between opener Aiden Markram (136) and captain Temba Bavuma (66*) guided South Africa towards victory. Aiden Markram’s brilliant century and Bavuma’s solidity helped South Africa achieve the win by 5 wickets in just 83.4 overs.
South Africa Batting Scorecard (Second Innings)
| Batter | Run | Ball | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate | Dismissal |
| Riyan Rickelton | 5 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 | c Smith b Starc |
| Aiden Markram | 136 | 207 | 19 | 0 | 65.69 | c Carey b Hazlewood |
| Theunis de Bruyn | 7 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 77.77 | lbw b Starc |
| Tristan Stubbs | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | b Starc |
| Temba Bavuma (C) | 66* | 121 | 7 | 1 | 54.54 | not out |
| David Bedingham | 17 | 44 | 2 | 0 | 38.63 | c Khawaja b Hazlewood |
| Kyle Verreynne (WK) | 17* | 21 | 3 | 0 | 81.00 | not out |
Extra Runs: 34 (Byes 8, Leg Byes 10, Wides 9, No Balls 7)
Total: 282 Runs (5 Wickets, 83.4 Overs)
Australia Bowling Scorecard (Second Innings)
| Bowler | Over | Maiden | Run | Wicket | Economy |
| Mitchell Starc | 14.4 | 4 | 66 | 3 | 4.53 |
| Pat Cummins (C) | 20 | 6 | 73 | 0 | 3.65 |
| Josh Hazlewood | 15 | 3 | 44 | 2 | 2.93 |
| Nathan Lyon | 28 | 4 | 84 | 0 | 2.89 |
| Beau Webster | 6 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 2.50 |
Match Result and Tournament Awards
| Result | Man of the Match | Most Runs in the Tournament | Most Wickets in the Tournament |
| South Africa won by 5 wickets | Aiden Markram | Joe Root (1,968 runs) | Pat Cummins (80 wickets) |
Top 5 Moments of the 2025 WTC Final
- Markram’s Historic Fourth Innings Century: Aiden Markram’s (136) century while chasing a difficult target of 282 runs was the turning point of the match. His innings under pressure delivered the victory to South Africa.
- Pat Cummins’ 6 Wickets in the First Innings: Cummins’ spell of 6 wickets for just 28 runs in the first innings prevented the match from becoming completely one-sided and secured a crucial 74-run lead for Australia.
- Rabada’s Destructive 5 Wickets: Kagiso Rabada’s 5-wicket spell on the first day of the match broke the backbone of the Australian batting, which set the early momentum of the game.
- Captain Bavuma’s Match-Winning Partnership: Temba Bavuma’s (66*) patient innings and his partnership with Markram in a difficult situation ensured South Africa’s victory.
- Smith and Starc’s Resistance: When the Australian team faced a major collapse in their second innings, the partnership between Steve Smith (79) and Mitchell Starc (58*) helped Australia set a respectable target.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Where was the 2025 WTC Final held?
The final was held at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, England.
Who was the Man of the Match in this final?
South African batsman Aiden Markram was named the Man of the Match for his historic innings of 136 runs.
Which team was the 2025 WTC Champion?
South Africa defeated Australia by 5 wickets to win the World Test Championship title for the first time.
What was the duration of the WTC Final 2025?
The final was held from June 11 to June 14, 2025, concluding on the fourth day.
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