Australia Announce Playing XI for World Test Championship Final at Lord's

Australia have named their playing XI for the ICC World Test Championship Final against South Africa, set to begin June 11 at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground. Captain Pat Cummins confirmed the squad on Tuesday during a press interaction in London.

As anticipated by former skipper Ricky Ponting on The ICC Review, the selected XI features a mix of experience and fresh combinations. Notably, Marnus Labuschagne will step up to open the innings alongside veteran Usman Khawaja, marking a significant shift from his usual No. 3 position.

Hazlewood over Boland in Pace Line-up

Josh Hazlewood, fresh off his IPL triumph, has edged out Scott Boland to join the pace trio with Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins. Cummins acknowledged Boland’s consistent performance, calling his exclusion “unfortunate,” but emphasized the rotation policy to manage fast bowlers' careers long-term.

“Scott’s done absolutely nothing wrong,” Cummins said. “This isn’t the end—there are plenty of Tests ahead.”

Green Returns, Webster Retains Spot

All-rounder Cameron Green returns to the side after recovering from back surgery. Beau Webster, who offers both seam and spin options, keeps his place in the XI, adding depth to both the batting and bowling departments.

Cummins also spoke about leaving out 19-year-old prodigy Sam Konstas, noting that while the youngster was disappointed, the experience would still be valuable.

“He’s got a long future with this team. Even not playing, there’s a lot he can learn.”

Australia’s Playing XI for WTC Final 2025:

Usman Khawaja

Marnus Labuschagne

Cameron Green

Steve Smith

Travis Head

Beau Webster

Alex Carey (wk)

Pat Cummins (c)

Mitchell Starc

Nathan Lyon

Josh Hazlewood

Australia will be aiming to defend their WTC title, having lifted the mace in 2023 after a dominant win over India. The much-anticipated final promises a thrilling clash as they face a strong South African outfit.