Australia and South Africa are set to face each other in the World Test Championship final at the Lord’s Cricket Stadium in London, beginning on Wednesday. While the Kangaroos are the reigning champions, the Proteas have reached their first WTC final ever. The Test is expected to be a high-stakes thriller after the squads have announced their Playing XI.
Australia and South Africa, both teams will seek to win the WTC 2025 final and clinch the title. However, the Test match scheduled for June 11 to June 15 can also end in a draw. Let’s find out what will happen in such a scenario.
What will happen if the WTC final clash ends in a draw?
If the WTC final between Australia and South Africa ends in a draw, then both teams will share the ICC Test Championship Mace (Trophy awarded to the winning team)
Is there a reserve day in case of bad weather?
If the WTC final gets affected due to weather conditions then there is a reserve day for the game. Notably, if the match cannot be played on any of the days, then the Test will be extended to the sixth day.
In the WTC final 2021 between India and New Zealand, the match was abandoned on the first day due to rain, and eventually, it continued till the sixth day.
Similarly, if the summit clash gets interrupted and a day gets ruined then June 16 is marked as a reserve day.
Qualification to the WTC final
South Africa and Australia secured their spots in the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final through strong performances in the 2023-25 cycle, finishing as the top two teams among nine contenders.
South Africa played 12 Tests, winning 8, losing 3, and drawing 1, earning 100 points and a points percentage (PCT) of 69.44, the highest in the cycle. On the other hand, Australia, the defending champions, played 19 Tests, winning 13, losing 4, and drawing 2, accumulating 154 points for a PCT of 67.54.
Australia Playing XI
Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
South Africa Playing XI
Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (captain), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
