The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially announced that the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final will be held at Lord’s from June 11 to 15, 2025, with June 16 designated as a reserve day.
This will mark the first time that Lord’s will host the WTC final, following previous editions at The Rose Bowl in Southampton (2021) and The Oval (2023). The upcoming final will feature Australia, the defending champions, facing South Africa for the coveted Test cricket title.
Australia vs South Africa in 2025 WTC Final
The match will see Australia, who won the 2023 WTC final against India, take on South Africa in what promises to be an intense battle for Test cricket supremacy. Australia, under the leadership of Pat Cummins, will be aiming to secure back-to-back titles, while South Africa will look to claim their maiden WTC crown.
The WTC is a biennial championship organized by the ICC, featuring a two-year cycle of Test matches leading to a one-off final. The first WTC final in 2021 saw New Zealand defeat India, while Australia lifted the trophy in 2023. The ongoing third edition of the championship began with the 2023 Ashes series and will conclude with the final in June 2025.
WTC 2023-25 Standings
The final standings for the WTC cycle determined the two finalists, with South Africa leading the table. Below is the final points table for the 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship:
| Pos | Team | Played | Won | Lost | Draw | Ded | Points | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SA (South Africa) | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 69.44 |
| 2 | AUS (Australia) | 19 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 154 | 67.54 |
| 3 | IND (India) | 19 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 114 | 50.00 |
| 4 | NZ (New Zealand) | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 81 | 48.21 |
| 5 | ENG (England) | 22 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 22 | 114 | 43.18 |
| 6 | SL (Sri Lanka) | 13 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 38.46 |
| 7 | BAN (Bangladesh) | 12 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 45 | 31.25 |
| 8 | WI (West Indies) | 13 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 44 | 28.21 |
| 9 | PAK (Pakistan) | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 47 | 27.98 |
Road to the Final
South Africa secured their spot in the final by winning eight of their 12 matches and maintaining a points percentage (PCT) of 69.44. Australia closely followed with 67.54 PCT, winning 13 out of 19 matches. Despite a strong performance, India finished third with 50.00 PCT, while New Zealand and England ended in the fourth and fifth positions, respectively.
The highly anticipated WTC Final at Lord’s will determine the ultimate Test cricket champion. Australia will aim to defend their title, while South Africa will look to claim their maiden WTC trophy.