3 similarities between WTC Final 2025 and 2023

The WTC Final 2025 took place last week in London. South Africa beat Australia to become the new ICC World Test Champions, with the Proteas winning their first major ICC trophy this century.

Temba Bavuma led his team from the front by scoring a half-century in the second innings to help South Africa defeat Australia by five wickets in London. Aiden Markram’s hundred and Kagiso Rabada’s magnificent bowling performance also played a pivotal role in South Africa’s WTC 2025 triumph.

This match marked the first time Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood lost a tournament final in his international career. This was also Australian captain Pat Cummins’ first defeat as a skipper in ICC knockout matches.

While Australia lost the WTC Final 2025, they won this game to become the WTC winners in 2023. We take a look at the similarities between the WTC Final 2025 and 2023.

#1 Team appearing in the 1st final wins, team appearing in 2nd consecutive final loses

South Africa qualified for the World Test Championship Final for the first time. The Proteas topped the WTC standings in the 2023-25 cycle to punch their ticket to London for the big game. Meanwhile, Australia qualified for the final for the second consecutive time.

Two years ago, in the WTC final 2023, Australia made their first-ever WTC Final appearance against India, who qualified for the second time. First-time finalists Australia won the WTC final in 2023 by defeating second-time finalists India, and in 2025, first-time finalists South Africa beat second-time finalists Australia.

#2 Winning team’s captain’s maiden final

Pat Cummins captained the Australian team in an ICC final for the first time in the World Test Championship 2023 Final. The fast-bowling all-rounder led the team from the front by bagging four wickets against India, thereby ensuring he won his maiden ICC final as captain.

The WTC 2025 final was South African skipper Temba Bavuma’s first final as a captain as well. Bavuma scored a valuable 36 in the first innings, followed by a half-century in the second innings to win his maiden ICC trophy as a captain.

#3 Mitchell Starc scored 40+ in both WTC Finals

Australian fast-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Starc has recorded only two scores of 40 or more in the last five years. Both scores of 40+ came in the World Test Championship finals.

Starc is known for performing brilliantly with the ball in the matches that matter the most. However, in the WTC final in 2025 and 2023, Starc stepped up and delivered the goods in the batting department as well.

In 2023, Australia were down to 167/6 after 63 overs in the second innings against India. Starc aggregated 41 runs off 57 balls and stitched together a 93-run seventh-wicket stand with Alex Carey to take the team’s score to 260/7.

Two years later, Australia slumped to 73/7 after just 24.5 overs in the second innings against South Africa. Starc came to the team’s rescue once again, scoring an unbeaten 136-ball 58*. He ran out of partners eventually or he could have returned with a bigger score in the WTC final 2025.