South Africa and Australia are set to face off in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground from June 11 to June 15. Temba Bavuma will lead the Proteas, while Pat Cummins will captain the Australian side. South Africa secured the top spot in the WTC 2023–25 standings based on percentage points, with Australia finishing second.
As defending champions, Australia enter the final as strong favorites. Their squad features seasoned players like Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Steve Smith, and Travis Head — all of whom have a track record of excelling in high-pressure matches. Australia also currently hold the ODI World Cup title.
In contrast, South Africa’s only ICC tournament victory dates back to 1998. Although the final is scheduled to conclude on June 15, June 16 has been designated as a reserve day. This extra day will be utilized only if weather interruptions during the five scheduled days prevent the completion of play.
If sufficient time is lost and cannot be recovered within those five days, the reserve day will be used to help determine a result.
Defending champions Australia iron out the final touches for the #WTC25 Final 👊
More on their playing XI ➡️ https://t.co/7VtfPP1S5z pic.twitter.com/gsWwT2aAG6
— ICC (@ICC) June 10, 2025
However, if all five days of play are completed during the 2025 WTC final between Australia and South Africa, the reserve day will not be used to determine a result. In the event the match ends in a draw, tie, or is abandoned, both teams will be declared joint winners of the World Test Championship.
What are the predicted weather conditions for the 2025 WTC final?
According to AccuWeather, rain may impact Day 3 (June 13) of the WTC 2025 final between South Africa and Australia at Lord’s. The morning is expected to be mostly sunny and hot, but conditions are likely to change in the afternoon, becoming mostly cloudy with a few showers. The rain threat continues into the evening, with the possibility of a couple of thunderstorms.
Calm before the storm, South Africa's preparations are in full flow before tomorrow's final 🇿🇦#SAvAUS #WTC25
More on the playing XI ➡️ https://t.co/s1QD1Y4MX8 pic.twitter.com/JmmFlheAxl
— ICC (@ICC) June 10, 2025
For the opening day of the Test, AccuWeather predicts minimal weather disruption. Both the morning and afternoon on Wednesday are expected to be partly sunny and comfortably warm. The forecast suggests generally favourable weather conditions for the remaining days of the match, with June 13 being the only exception.
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