WTC Final 2025: South Africa Beat Australia by 5 Wickets

On June 14, 2025, South Africa clinched their maiden World Test Championship title, defeating Australia by 5 wickets at Lord’s Cricket Ground. The victory marked their first ICC trophy in 27 years, with Aiden Markram’s composed 136 anchoring the chase of 144 in the final innings.

Teams: Australia vs South Africa · Venue: Lord’s, London · Dates: June 11-14, 2025 · Result: South Africa won by 5 wickets · Cycle: 2023–2025 World Test Championship

Which two teams are qualified for the WTC final?

Australia and South Africa topped the 2023–2025 World Test Championship points table to book their places in the final. Australia entered as defending champions, having won the 2023 edition against India at The Oval. South Africa, by contrast, had never reached the WTC final before that cycle, making their qualification a milestone in itself.

The two sides had built contrasting paths to Lord’s. Australia’s campaign featured dominant performances at home and away, while South Africa navigated a grueling schedule across all continents to finish atop the standings. The ICC’s official announcement confirmed the match was scheduled for 11–15 June 2025 at Lord’s, with a reserve day on 16 June.

Lord’s itself carried historical weight. The venue hosted its first Test in 1884 between England and Australia, and in 2025 it welcomed its inaugural WTC final. This made the occasion unique — two teams aiming to etch their names into the ground’s extended legacy.

When and where is WTC final?

The 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final took place at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London from 11 to 14 June 2025. The ground’s official records confirmed the fixture as part of their international match schedule.

South Africa won the toss and chose to bowl first on the opening morning. Day 1 saw Australia reach 67 for 4 in the first session before recovering to post 212 all out in 56.4 overs, with Beau Webster scoring 72 from 92 balls. South Africa’s reply began shortly after, setting up the tight contest that would define the match.

Where can I watch the ICC World Test Championship final 2025?

The final was broadcast globally through major cricket rights holders, including official ICC broadcast partners and regional sports networks. Viewers could access live coverage through their local sports channels, with many regions offering dedicated cricket packages.

For scorecard tracking, Sky Sports and NDTV Sports provided ball-by-ball updates throughout all four days. Wikipedia maintained a detailed match summary including full innings breakdowns.

What TV channel is the World Test Championship on?

The specific channel assignments varied by region, as the ICC distributes broadcast rights to regional partners. In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports held the primary rights, while Indian viewers could access coverage through Star Sports network. Australian audiences relied on Channel 9 or Fox Cricket, depending on their subscription package.

The Sporting News confirmed the match schedule in advance, helping fans identify their local broadcast windows. For free viewing, ICC’s official digital platforms occasionally offered select live streams in certain markets, though premium access typically required a sports subscription.

Who can qualify for WTC 2025?

Qualification for the WTC final works through a points percentage system across all Test series played during the two-year cycle. The 2023–2025 cycle featured 69 Test matches across 27 series, with each series awarding points based on results. The top two teams by percentage advanced to the final.

South Africa and Australia finished at the summit of the standings, ahead of India and New Zealand who had also been in contention during the closing stages of the cycle. India’s path to qualification had been a frequent topic of discussion earlier in the cycle, but South Africa’s consistent performances in the latter stages secured their position.

The scorecard at a glance

Australia’s first innings produced 212 runs in 56.4 overs, with Kagiso Rabada leading South Africa’s attack by taking 5 wickets for 51 runs in 15.4 overs. South Africa responded with 138 all out in their first innings, as Pat Cummins delivered 6 wickets for 28 runs in 18.1 overs for Australia.

Australia’s second innings reached 207 all out in 65 overs, with Mitchell Starc scoring an unbeaten 58 from 136 balls. South Africa then faced a target of 144 runs in their second innings, finishing at 282 for 5 in 83.4 overs. Aiden Markram anchored the chase with 136 runs from 207 balls, guiding South Africa to their historic victory.

The pattern shows how both pace attacks dominated on a surface that offered movement throughout the match, with the chasing side ultimately holding nerve in the final innings.

The historical weight of the result

South Africa’s WTC title ended a 27-year drought for ICC silverware. Their previous major ICC trophy came in 1998, when they won the Champions Trophy in Bangladesh. That 1998 victory had itself been South Africa’s first ICC title, making the 2025 win a kind of bookend — the completion of a journey started across generations of players.

The prize money reflected the gravity of the achievement. South Africa received US$3.6 million as champions, while Australia took home US$2.1 million as runners-up. Beyond the financial figure, the win elevated South Africa into an exclusive group of nations to have won multiple ICC tournaments.

“A unique sporting venue set to host the ICC World Test Championship Final for the first time in 2025.”

— CricTracker, venue preview

“The Ultimate Test 2025 confirmed for 11–15 June at Lord’s.”

— ICC Official Announcement

Related reading: AUS vs SA Cricket Rivalry · Australia Women vs England Women Match Scorecard

South Africa’s batsmen delivered a masterful chase of 282 at Lord’s to claim the title, as detailed in the AUS vs SA WTC scorecard.

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