Australia, South Africa To Face Off In WTC 2025 Final At Lord's; India's WTC Dream Ends With 3-1 Loss To Aus

India’s WTC 2025 final hopes ended with a 3-1 series loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Australia and South Africa qualified for the final at Lord’s.

Image Source: X/ICC

WTC 2023-25: India’s aspirations of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final came to an end after a 3-1 series defeat to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The loss in the fifth and final Test at Sydney marked the first time in a decade that India conceded the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Australia and South Africa Set for WTC Final

Australia’s dominant performance throughout the WTC cycle secured their place in the final alongside South Africa. This will be Australia’s second consecutive WTC final after defeating India at The Oval in 2023. The much-anticipated final will take place at Lord’s from July 11-15, 2025.

India's Downfall Since NZ's Series

India’s defeat in Sydney dropped their points percentage (PCT) from 52.77 to 50.00, relegating them to third place in the standings. This loss also marked India’s eighth defeat in the ongoing WTC cycle. In contrast, Australia’s victory elevated their PCT from 61.45 to 63.72, further solidifying their position at the top.

The WTC 2025 final will be the first neutral Test between Australia and South Africa at Lord’s since the Triangular Tournament in 1912. Historically, Australia leads South Africa 54-26 in Test cricket encounters, adding intrigue to the final clash.

India’s Decline in Form

India’s qualification hopes nosedived in the past three months, following six consecutive losses. This slide began with a shocking 0-3 whitewash at home against New Zealand in November, severely denting their chances for a third consecutive WTC final appearance.

Updated WTC 2023-25 Points Table

Standings	Team	Wins	Win Percentage
1.	South Africa (Q)	7	66.67
2.	Australia	9	63.73
3.	India	9	50
4.	New Zealand	7	48.21
5.	Sri Lanka	5	45.45
6.	England	11	43.18
7.	Bangladesh	4	31.25
8.	Pakistan	4	30.30
9.	West Indies	2	24.24

Australia, led by Pat Cummins, will now aim to continue their dominance, while South Africa eyes their first WTC title in what promises to be a thrilling finale at Lord’s.