WTC Final 2025 Day 1 Highlights: Rabada’s Fifer, 14 Wickets Down At Lord’s. The opening day of the ICC WTC 2025 Final between Australia vs South Africa at Lord’s was dramatic. It was the fast bowlers who dominated the day to produce an astonishing 14 wickets and set up what looks like a thrilling Test match.
South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma won the toss. He chose to bowl first against a backdrop of overcast conditions, and that decision turned out to be well-founded. Kagiso Rabada led the bowling attack and removed Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green before lunch. By that break, Australia was reeling along with their score of 67/4.
Steve Smith (66) and debutant Beau Webster (72) produced a phenomenal partnership of 109 that shifted the momentum and gave Australia a glimmer of hope in the second session. Rabada then came back and finished off the tail order to finish with figures of 5/51, writing his name into the honors board at Lord’s and passing the iconic Allan Donald test wicket tally.
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The Australians found themselves bowled out for 212, which, considering the conditions, is a competitive score. Marco Jansen was the other notable performer with three wickets, while Keshav Maharaj added one.
South Africa’s innings began disastrously after being set a target of 212 by Australia. Mitchell Starc took a wicket with his first delivery, a sharp inswinger that took the edge of Aiden Markram’s bat. Rickelton, Mulder, and Stubbs quickly followed Markram’s lead under the relentless pressure applied by Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
At day 1, South Africa was at 43/4 and trailing Australia by 169 runs, with Bavuma and Bedingham together.
WTC Final 2025 Playing XIs
Australia: Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon.
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
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Day 1 Recap:
Australia: 212 all out (Webster 72, Smith 66; Rabada 5/51).
South Africa: 43/4 (Starc, Cummins, and Hazlewood with wickets).
