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Australia Record Lowest 1st Innings Total In WTC Final; Create Unwanted Record

Aakash Saini

Kagiso Rabada celebrating an Australian wicket [Source: @ICC/x]Kagiso Rabada celebrating an Australian wicket [Source: @ICC/x]

Australia endured a horrid start in the final of the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) at Lord’s in London on Day 1, i.e., on Wednesday, June 11. Getting invited to bat first, the Australian batting line-up folded up for just 212 shortly after the Tea break.

For South Africa, senior paceman Kagiso Rabada breathed fire with a scintillating five-wicket haul, while his younger teammate Marco Jansen snagged three wickets of his own, which included the prized scalps of Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head.

Australia Kneel Before Rabada, Jansen To Record WTC Low

South African paceman Kagiso Rabada (5-51) and Marco Jansen (3-49) shot out Australia for just 212 on Day 1 of the WTC 2025 final in 56.4 overs. Australia’s underwhelming batting effort now marks the lowest first innings total in the history of WTC finals.

Back in June 2021 in Southampton, Team India bundled out for just 217 from 92.1 overs before losing the inaugural title to New Zealand by eight wickets on a rescheduled Day 6. Australia worsened the effort and claimed the unfortunate record by five runs in the 2025 final, despite featuring fighting half-centuries from Steve Smith and Beau Webster.

Australia’s new opening combo of Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne accrued just 12 runs before the former edged one towards David Bedingham off Kagiso Rabada for a 20-ball duck. Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Travis Head and Alex Carey also failed to get going in the high-octane Test final at the iconic venue.

In response, Mitchell Starc struck back for Australia with an early wicket of South African opener Aiden Markram in the first over of the second innings of the match on Day 1.