This week, the storied Lord’s Cricket Ground in London is hosting the World Test Championship (WTC 2025) final. The competition to lift the prized WTC mace is between South Africa and Australia.
With 14 wickets lost on each of the opening two days, the crucial match has been progressing quickly. The fast bowlers have been on a rampage so far, and the hitters haven’t been able to account for their incredible lateral movement.
Aakash Chopra, a former Indian opener, claimed that if the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) had lost 28 wickets in the first two days of a Test match in India, the Western media would have blasted them.
According to the cricket player-turned-expert, the pitch is being referred to as “sporting” because the WTC final is being held in England.
As reported by Sportskeeda, Chopra stated in a video on his YouTube channel, “I had a big question about this Lord’s Test match: if these 28 wickets had fallen in India in two days of play, wouldn’t the western media have created an uproar, as to what sort of pitch they play, the ball is turning and bouncing, batting has become very difficult, and how such pitches can be allowed, that India is doctoring pitches and killing Test cricket?”
“You would have felt what you did after seeing these headlines from The Telegraph to The Sydney Morning Herald. However, because the ball isn’t moving very much, the batters’ defensive technique has been ruined on what is known as a sporting pitch in England. It’s also true in India if the batters’ defensive style has deteriorated,” he continued.
To win the WTC 2025 Final, South Africa needs to score 281 runs.
On Day 3, Australia was bowled out for 207 in the opening session. South Africa has been given a target of 281 by the reigning champions. So far, Lord’s has only managed two successful run-chases of 280 or more. England in 2004 and the West Indies in 1984, respectively, 342 and 282.
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