🏏 Australia Announce Playing XI for WTC Final 2025 Against South Africa
Published: June 11, 2025
By: finx24 Sports Desk
Tags: WTC Final 2025, Australia Cricket, South Africa, Pat Cummins, Lord’s, ICC News
Australia have officially announced their playing XI for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025, set to begin today, June 11, at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. The defending champions will face a strong South African side in what promises to be a thrilling five-day battle for Test supremacy.
✅ Confirmed Australian Playing XI:
- Usman Khawaja
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Cameron Green
- Steve Smith
- Travis Head
- Beau Webster
- Alex Carey (wk)
- Pat Cummins (c)
- Mitchell Starc
- Nathan Lyon
- Josh Hazlewood
🔄 Key Changes and Selection Decisions
One of the most notable decisions in Australia’s lineup is the inclusion of Josh Hazlewood, who returns in place of Scott Boland. Captain Pat Cummins confirmed that Hazlewood was fully fit and ready, providing the experience and control needed in English conditions. His return strengthens Australia’s pace attack alongside Starc and Cummins himself.
Another strategic shift is Marnus Labuschagne opening the batting with Usman Khawaja. This allows Cameron Green to bat at No. 3, a position where he can play a more influential role. Labuschagne, who usually bats in the middle order, was promoted to provide stability at the top and to absorb the new ball challenge against South Africa’s pace attack.
💬 What Captain Cummins Said
In the pre-match press conference, Cummins stated:
We’re confident in our squad. Josh [Hazlewood] has trained well, and his experience in these conditions gives us a great edge. Labuschagne has the technique and temperament to handle the new ball, and Green is in excellent form. We’ve picked the XI we believe can win this final.
🆚 The Opponent – South Africa
South Africa have also entered the final in top form, led by pace spearheads Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, alongside strong batters like Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar. Australia will need to be at their best to retain their WTC title.
📍 Match Details
- Fixture: Australia vs South Africa – WTC Final 2025
- Dates: June 11–15, 2025
- Venue: Lord’s Cricket Ground, London
- Live Telecast: Star Sports, Sky Sports, SuperSport
- Live Streaming: Disney+ Hotstar, ICC.tv
🏆 What’s at Stake?
This is only the third World Test Championship Final in ICC history. Australia won the last edition in 2023 by defeating India. A win here would solidify their dominance in red-ball cricket and mark back-to-back WTC titles.
For South Africa, it’s their first WTC Final appearance. They’ll be hungry to make history and bring home their first major ICC Test trophy.
📊 Final Thoughts
Australia’s playing XI reflects both experience and tactical boldness. With a balanced side, they’re entering the WTC Final as slight favorites, but South Africa’s form cannot be underestimated. Cricket fans around the world can expect an intense and high-quality battle at the home of cricket.
📌 For more updates on WTC Final 2025, stay tuned to https://www.finx24.com – your trusted source for ICC cricket news, analysis, and match reports.
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