Three player battles to watch out for in the WTC finals

South Africa and Australia are set to take on each other in the WTC 2023-25 final; the highly anticipated summit clash of the prestigious cricket biennial will be played at Lord’s in London, starting from June 11 to June 15. It will be an all-important and must-win game for both teams to end up with the glory of winning the WTC title. 

South Africa is coming off five consecutive wins in their last five Test appearances in the ongoing WTC 2023-25 cycle. They will aim to win this game and clinch their first-ever title in the history of the World Test Championship. On the other hand, Australia have won four games successively in their last five Tests, including a drawn game. The defending champions will aim to win their second consecutive WTC title to continue their dominance. 

With that said, here we’ll have a look at the three player battles to watch out for in the WTC finals between South Africa and Australia. 

1. Steve Smith vs Kagiso Rabada 

The top player battle to watch out for in the WTC finals between South Africa and Australia will be between the former Australia skipper Steve Smith and the star Proteas skipper Kagiso Rabada. The modern-day batting legend has been in a brilliant run of form in the last 10 Tests he has played, scoring 734 runs with a brilliant batting average of 45.88. 

He might face a tough challenge from South Africa’s star pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada, who has scalped 36 wickets in the last eight Tests, with an outstanding economy rate of just 3.15. So, the battle between Smith and Rabada will be an interesting one to watch out for in this high-octane clash. 

2. Temba Bavuma vs Mitchell Starc 

Another outstanding player battle in this game will be between the star in-form batter and the Proteas skipper, Temba Bavuma and the veteran Australia pacer, Mitchell Starc. Bavuma has aggregated 609 runs in the last 6 Tests, with an outstanding batting average of 60.9. He has been one of the top-performing batters for South Africa in the ongoing WTC 2023-25 cycle.

Bavuma might get a bit of a challenging face-off with the veteran Aussie pacer Mitchell Starc, who is known for his lethal bowling, especially with the new ball. Starc has scalped 34 wickets in 10 games, with an economy rate of just 3.41. It would be a tough player battle to watch out for in this South Africa vs Australia clash in the WTC final.

3. Usman Khawaja vs Keshav Maharaj 

The veteran Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj has been in sensational bowling form in the last 7 Tests he has played for his side. He has bagged 40 wickets in 7 games, with an amazing economy rate of just 2.78 and a bowling strike rate of 44.37. Maharaj could be a big threat for the Aussies on the second and third days of the game, when the pitch might have a little bit of support for the spinners. 

He might face a tough time from the veteran Australian opener Usman Khawaja, who is known for playing the spinners effectively. Khawaja has scored 652 runs in 10 Tests, with a decent batting average of 38.35. So, it will also be an interesting face-off to watch out for in this iconic WTC final.

Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.

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