Tag: australia

LONDON: South Africa won the toss and chose to field first against Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final here at Lord’s Cricket Ground on Wednesday.

PLAYING XIs

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verrynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.

Australia: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

Australia and South Africa have faced each other in 101 Test matches, with the former holding a dominant record with 54 victories. The Protease managed to win 26 matches, while 21 games ended in a draw.

READ: Australia reach World Cup 2026 as Palestinian dreams ended

Australia qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America, while Oman ended the hopes of Palestine for their first appearance at the finals with a last-gasp draw on Tuesday.

Tony Popovic’s Socceroos, who went into the third round’s final match day heavy favourites to progress, defeated direct rivals Saudi Arabia 2-1 in Jeddah to seal the second automatic qualification spot in Group C.

Saudi Arabia must instead make do with a place in the fourth round, alongside Indonesia. Japan had already secured top place in the group.

“We’ve built a good foundation now and we want to really get better, kick on and try and do something special at the World Cup,” said Popovic.

Herve Renard’s Saudi side went into the decider at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium knowing only a win by a five-goal margin would be enough to usurp Australia in second.

The hosts were given the perfect start when Abdulrahman Al-Aboud opened the scoring 19 minutes in.

The visitors pulled level just before half-time through Connor Metcalfe’s left-footed strike.

Australia were soon ahead, when three minutes into the second half Mitch Duke met Martin Boyle’s cross to head home from close range.

Goalkeeper Mathew Ryan then saved Salem Al-Dawsari’s late penalty to earn Australia a memorable victory and secure the country’s sixth successive appearance at a World Cup in style.

“To show that character, resilience and then quality to come back and actually take the lead and win the game, I’m delighted,” said Popovic.

In Group B, Palestinian hearts were broken when they conceded a penalty deep into injury time to draw 1-1 with Oman in Amman.

Palestine, playing their home fixtures at a neutral venue, took the lead on 49 minutes when Oday Kharoub headed Adam Kaied’s corner into the top corner.

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Oman were reduced to 10 men in the 73rd minute after Harib Al-Saadi was shown a second yellow card.

Yet the visitors rallied to snatch a precious point in the 97th minute, Issam Al-Sabhi converting a spot-kick following a foul on Muhsen Al-Ghassani.

The result means Oman finish fourth in the group at Palestine’s expense and therefore advance to the next phase of qualification.

The top two teams in each of the three groups go straight to the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, while those in third and fourth move on to the fourth round.

Taking place in October, and comprising two groups of three, there are two places at next summer’s tournament up for grabs with Oman, UAE, Qatar, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia all in the running.

Crystal Palace forward Daichi Kamada scored twice for Japan and Paris Saint Germain’s Lee Kang-in netted for South Korea as the Asian giants rounded off successful World Cup qualifying campaigns in style.

Japan romped to a 6-0 thrashing of Patrick Kluivert’s Indonesia in Osaka while South Korea cruised to a 4-0 win over Kuwait in Seoul where fans were treated to a late appearance by Son Heung-min.

FA Cup winner Kamada struck twice in the first half for Japan, with Takefusa Kubo, Ryoya Morishita, Shuto Machino and substitute Mao Hosoya also on target against Indonesia, who finished fourth in Group C.

Iran and Uzbekistan are already through to next year’s finals from Group A, as are Jordan and South Korea from Group B, who both secured qualification last week with a game to spare.

Jeon Jin-woo and goals from European-based trio Lee Kang-in, Oh Hyeon-gyu of Belgium’s Genk and Lee Jae-sung of Germany’s Mainz sealed the win.

Tottenham’s Son, who has been struggling with injury, came on as a 75th-minute substitute.

Iraq confirmed third place in the group with a 1-0 victory against Jordan in Amman, the hosts having already clinched a first appearance at the World Cup.

READ: Brazil, Ecuador book FIFA World Cup 2026 berths

LONDON: Australia captain Pat Cummins, on Tuesday, unveiled the Playing XI for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final against South Africa, scheduled to commence on June 11 here at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.

All-rounder Cameron Green is set to make his return to red-ball action as he will play his first Test since back surgery.

Meanwhile, middle-order batter Marnus Labuschagne will be promoted up the order to open the innings alongside Usman Khawaja.

“Marnus has experience, he has done well here at Lord’s and in England in general,” Cummins said.

“Opening the batting can be tough, but it can also be sometimes the best time to bat, before the Dukes ball actually starts swinging.”

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On the other hand, pace bowler Josh Hazlewood edged out fellow seamer Scott Boland to secure his place in the Playing XI of Australia. He will join Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins to form a dynamic pace attack.

They will be supported by experienced spinner Nathan Lyon as well as all-rounder Beau Webster, whose ability to seamlessly switch between medium pace and spin options provides extra strategic layers to Australia’s bowling plans.

Notably, Australia are standing on the brink of history, poised to become the first team ever to successfully defend their title in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).

They defeated India in a thrilling final during the last WTC cycle at The Oval back in 2023.

Meanwhile, South Africa, making their inaugural appearance in the WTC final, have also revealed their Playing XI.

Australia Playing XI: 1. Usman Khawaja, 2. Marnus Labuschagne, 3. Cameron Green, 4. Steve Smith, 5. Travis Head, 6. Beau Webster, 7. Alex Carey (wk), 8. Pat Cummins (c), 9. Mitchell Starc, 10. Nathan Lyon, 11. Josh Hazlewood.

South Africa playing XI: Temba Bavuma (c), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verrynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.

READ: South Africa name Playing XI for WTC final

LONDON: Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Tuesday unveiled the Playing XI for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final against Australia, set to begin on June 11 here at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.

This marks the maiden appearance for South Africa in a WTC Final, after topping the points table with an impressive 69.44% points percentage, a campaign that saw them win 8 out of 12 Tests.

Temba Bavuma will captain the team in this historic showdown. Meanwhile, fast bowler Lungi Ngidi is set to return to red-ball cricket after recovering from a groin injury that kept him out during the home season.

Keshav Maharaj is the only specialist spinner in South Africa’s playing XI, supported by a pace trio of Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Lungi Ngidi.

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Notably, South Africa’s team management has decided to promote all-rounder Wiaan Mulder to the No. 3 position in the batting order.

“Mulder is quite young in that position. But I think having played with Mulder, having seen him and the way he has grown in the last two years within the red-ball format,” said Bavuma.

“It’s about giving him a lot more confidence, backing him, and just allowing him to do what he does best.

“He has an opportunity in a pressure situation, but I think he can take comfort from the fact that the guys are backing him. We just want him to play his game.”

South Africa playing XI: Temba Bavuma (c), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verrynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.

READ: Steve Smith wary of South Africa pace attack in WTC final

Australia batting great Steve Smith is expecting a tough examination from the impressive pace attack of South Africa in this week’s World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s.

Reigning champions Australia, who beat India in the WTC final in 2023, are favourites against the Proteas in the five-day match, which starts on Wednesday.

“South Africa have a particularly good bowling attack led by Kagiso Rabada, his record speaks for itself. Marco Jansen — they are a good side, they are here for a reason,” Smith said on Monday.

Rabada, 30, has taken 327 wickets at an average of 22, while Jansen, 25, has 73 wickets at 21.76 in his 17 matches.

But former Test captain Smith also expects conditions at Lord’s to favour spin bowling later in the game, which could work to the advantage of Australia off-break bowler Nathan Lyon.

“I think spin will play a big part, particularly as the game wears on,” Smith added. “We’ve only been here a week, but I think it’s been a pretty dry start to the season over here.

“There hasn’t been too much rain, which is rare for England. It does look like quite a dry surface, and I think the footmarks will definitely come into play as the game wears on.”

Steve Smith has a superb Test record at London’s Lord’s ground, with 525 runs in five matches, including a double century and a hundred, at an average of 58.33.

“I’ve had a bit of success here,” said the 36-year-old. “It takes a bit of time getting used to the slope, one end thinking you are falling over, the other you feel a bit tall.

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“It’s a nice wicket to bat on, but if there’s a bit of cloud about and the balls swing around, it can get tricky.”

Several members of the Australian squad have not played much first-class cricket in recent months, but Smith was confident they would quickly find their rhythm.

“All the batters feel like they’re in a good place, so now we’re just excited to go out and play,” he said.

“Lord’s is a place we traditionally played pretty good cricket, so we’re excited about the prospect of coming up against South Africa.”

England have repeatedly emphasised how their long-term planning is designed to create a team capable of winning an Ashes series for the first time in a decade when they tour Australia in 2025/26.

But Smith said Australia were fully focused on the task in front of them.

“The Ashes is a big series, but you can’t look too far ahead,” said Smith, winner of the Compton-Miller Medal for player of the Ashes series in 2017/18 and 2019.

“You’ve got to keep playing each game as it comes. Every game is important with the World Test Championship on the line.

“That’s the reason it came in: to make every Test more relevant.”

READ: Aiden Markram says South Africa woes ‘buried’ ahead of WTC final

South Africa batter Aiden Markram insists there will be no mental scarring from his side’s previous failures when they face holders Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s.

The Proteas have suffered several agonising near-misses in major tournaments, including last year’s T20 World Cup final in Barbados.

They needed just 30 more runs to win, with 30 balls and six wickets remaining, yet somehow contrived to lose in devastating fashion against India.

But Markram, South Africa’s captain in that match and one of five survivors from the game in the WTC final squad, is confident there will be no hangover for a red-ball side led by Temba Bavuma.

“This team is a bit different,” Aiden Markram told reporters at Lord’s on Sunday.

“The few of us that have been a part of previous events that didn’t go our way have dealt with it, have obviously chatted to each other and made sure we’ve buried it nicely and taken some good lessons from it.

“But besides that, now, it’s more about the excitement of having another opportunity to actually do the job. So that’s pretty much where the mind is at the moment.”

As an opener, Markram will have the tough task of trying to blunt a formidable Australia bowling line-up in an eagerly anticipated final that starts on Wednesday.

But South Africa, with Kagiso Rabada leading the way, have an impressive pace attack of their own.

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“When you’re opening the batting, obviously your responsibility is to get the team off to a good start and get us ahead of the game. So that’s the challenge, that’s what excites us,” Markram said.

“But when you’re preparing against your bowlers, who are world-class, it can only help you as a batter, as uncomfortable as it can be at times.”

South Africa won seven Tests in a row to qualify for the WTC final, a run that featured several short series.

“A lot of our series have been two-game series. So in order to win that series, you can’t start slow,” Markram said.

“There’s no second dip at it, so we’re going to have to make sure we hit the ground running and are nice and sharp come day one.”

The 30-year-old Markram, a veteran of 45 Tests, is relishing the chance to make history on the hallowed turf at Lord’s.

“To play in a Test match here is really special, and then obviously for it to be a final is probably the cherry on top,” he said.

Markram, asked what made Lord’s so memorable, replied: “Probably just the history…You know how many of the greats of the game have played here.

“For us to have that opportunity to play on the same field and share that changing room that they once sat in is quite a cool thought.”

READ: Robert Lewandowski to boycott the national team under the current coach

Mitchell Marsh will captain Australia on his return to the T20I squad named on Wednesday for a five-match series in the West Indies, while explosive batsman Mitchell Owen earned a first call-up.

Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is back, having been rested for Australia’s last T20I series against Pakistan in November, and left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann makes the squad for the first time.

Marsh missed the Pakistan series and has recovered from a lower back injury that kept him out of the Champions Trophy earlier this year.

Australia’s Test and 50-over captain Pat Cummins, Travis Head and Mitchell Starc were left out of the 16-man squad for the series next month.

They will return to Australia following three Tests against the West Indies beginning on June 25.

Young batter Jake Fraser-McGurk was dropped, but there was a maiden call-up for the 23-year-old Owen after a Big Bash League (BBL) season where he was the highest run scorer and made a memorable 108 off 42 balls in the final.

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Australia have won 12 of their past 14 matches as they build towards next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

Chairman of selectors George Bailey said: “We have a busy T20 schedule coming up through this series, followed by three against South Africa and New Zealand and five matches against India at home as we continue to refine and build a squad we think will be the right fit for the World Cup on the subcontinent.”

All-rounder Marsh was in fine form during the Indian Premier League (IPL) season, scoring 627 runs for Lucknow Super Giants, including a maiden century.

It’s worth noting that Cameron Green and Cooper Connolly also return following injury.

Meanwhile, all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who on Monday announced his retirement from ODI cricket, also retained his place in the T20I squad.

The first T20I against the West Indies is on July 20 at Kingston, Jamaica.

Australia T20I squad for West Indies tour

Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.

READ: Virat Kohli breaks down as RCB finally lift IPL trophy after 18-year wait

South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada has fired a warning shot to Australia ahead of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, making it clear that their trademark sledging won’t rattle him.

Set to return for the all-important final at Lord’s starting June 11, the South African speedster is eyeing redemption, both on and off the field, after serving a brief suspension for recreational drug use.

Now cleared to play, the 30-year-old is expected to be one of South Africa’s key weapons as they chase their maiden WTC crown.

“They come at you, and I think that gets the best out of me,” Rabada told SABC Sport.

“Any type of verbal abuse, or if the media wants to say something, that’s normal. That’s the field we play in. You can’t be ignorant of it; you’ve got to be aware.

“But it’s not going to slow me down. They’ve been notorious for that over the years, right? So yeah, let’s see.”

Kagiso Rabada has a fiery history with the Aussies — from on-field run-ins to the infamous Steve Smith shoulder bump during the “Sandpapergate” series, and his return sets the stage for yet another high-octane contest between the two sides.

Former South Africa assistant coach Malibongwe Maketa also chimed in, cautioning Australia against provoking Rabada.

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“I think the Australians have learned now,” Maketa said. “I don’t think the current crop of players would say too much to KG because they know what it would bring out in him.”

Maketa further highlighted how Australia’s presence brings a different kind of pressure — one that Kagiso Rabada feeds off.

“It’s relentless — the body language, the aggression, even the crowd. But KG thrives in that. He doesn’t run from pressure; he walks into it.”

Speaking about his recent off-field controversy, Rabada acknowledged the mistake and said the time away gave him perspective.

“Look, this is not an ideal situation,” he said. “It forced me to reflect, to be grateful for what I have. People will have their opinions, I’m okay with that. I’m just happy to be back doing what I love.”

South Africa qualified for the WTC final after a strong campaign, winning eight out of 12 matches.

Despite a 2-0 defeat in New Zealand and a drawn series at home against India (1-1), the Proteas bounced back with clean sweeps over Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, along with a 1-0 win over the West Indies.

South Africa squad for WTC Final: 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.

READ: South Africa spinner pays heartfelt tribute to retiring Heinrich Klaasen

MELBOURNE: Cricket Australia (CA) Chief Executive Officer Todd Greenberg has confirmed that the Australian men’s team is scheduled to tour Pakistan for a white-ball series in early 2026.

Speaking during an online press conference, Greenberg expressed optimism about the upcoming tour and reiterated CA’s commitment to strengthening its relationship with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

“I believe it will be another good tour of Pakistan. The series is an important part of our schedule,” said Greenberg.

“There has been good communication between Pakistan and Australia regarding both red-ball and white-ball series. We need to look for more opportunities to play each other, which we certainly will.”

Australia last visited Pakistan in 2022, breaking a 24-year hiatus. The historic tour, which featured Tests, ODIs, and a one-off T20I, was widely praised for its spirit and hospitality.

Greenberg reflected on that experience, describing it as a major success and one that CA would like to replicate.

“In 2022, we toured Pakistan after a long gap and were given a very warm welcome. It would be fantastic to continue such tours,” he added.

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The CA boss also touched upon the involvement of Pakistani players in the Big Bash League (BBL), stating that efforts are ongoing to bring more talent from Pakistan into Australia’s premier T20 competition.

“There is no doubt Pakistani players are very popular within the community. If top Pakistani players come, they will definitely enjoy it here, and the league will benefit immensely from their presence,” Greenberg said.

While player discussions are still underway, Greenberg confirmed CA’s intention to secure participation from leading Pakistani stars in the next BBL edition.

“We hope to welcome more Pakistani players to the BBL. Talks are in progress,” he stated.

It is worth noting that Pakistan last toured Australia in November 2024, where they scripted a memorable 2-1 win in the ODI series under the leadership of Mohammad Rizwan — their first ODI series win in Australia since 2002.

However, the hosts bounced back to sweep the T20I series 3-0.

According to the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) for 2025–27, Australia are slated to tour Pakistan for three ODIs and three T20Is in February–March 2026.

READ: West Indies recall star players for T20I series against England, Ireland

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday confirmed the panel of match officials for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final.

The much-anticipated Test is set to be played between South Africa and Australia at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground from June 11 to 15.

New Zealand’s Chris Gaffaney and England’s Richard Illingworth will be the on-field umpires for the high-stakes encounter.

Illingworth continues to cement his reputation as a go-to figure for marquee Test matches.

This will be his third consecutive WTC final, making him the only umpire to officiate on-field in all three deciders since the tournament’s inception.

The veteran Englishman is also the reigning ICC Umpire of the Year, having clinched the David Shepherd Trophy for a record fourth time in 2024.

Gaffaney, a familiar face in ICC knockouts, had previously partnered with Illingworth in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 final and was also part of the umpiring team for the WTC 2023 final between India and Australia.

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England’s Richard Kettleborough, another experienced campaigner with multiple ICC finals under his belt, has been appointed as the TV umpire for this year’s final.

He was in the same role during the 2021 WTC final between India and New Zealand.

India’s Nitin Menon will be the fourth umpire, marking his WTC final debut in this capacity. Menon had earlier served as the TV umpire in the 2021 T20 World Cup final.

Former Indian fast bowler and seasoned match official Javagal Srinath has been named the match referee.

ICC Chair Jay Shah praised the experience and consistency of the appointed officials and expressed full confidence in their ability to deliver at the sport’s highest level.

“We are pleased to announce an experienced team of match officials for the ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord’s, marking the culmination of a highly competitive two-year cycle of Test matches played around the world,” Shah said.

“We strive to select the most qualified and deserving officials for all matches, and we are confident they will perform admirably. On behalf of the ICC, I wish them all the best and hope they enjoy this assignment,” he added.

READ: Angelo Mathews announces retirement from Test cricket