After faced India on the big stage multiple times in recent years, Australian captain Pat Cummins stated that playing the Proteas will be a pleasant and unique experience. On Wednesday, June 11, Australia will play South Africa in the final at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in England in an attempt to defend the WTC championship.
Particularly in the last few years, India and Australia have been two of the most reliable teams in world cricket. They met one another in the 2023 ODI World Cup finals and the 2025 World Test Championship. Both games ended with Australia winning. But in the 2025 Champions Trophy semifinals, India got back at them and won the championship.
In certain respects, you anticipate India’s presence. New Zealand consistently makes it to the finals, and England has been quite successful at home. However, in ICC tournaments, the same might be said about South Africa. “It’s nice and different from an Australia-India final, but we just don’t see a lot of them in Test cricket,” Cummins told the Guardian.
Because South Africa didn’t play against nations like Australia, England, or India during the 2023–2025 cycle, some members of the cricket community have questioned how they made it to the final. dismissed this argument, stating that South Africa’s “different route” to the final cannot be blamed by anyone.
“You can only defeat your opponents. “I don’t blame South Africa for having a different route, but our path to the final was pretty tough,” he remarked.
Cummins on South Africa: “We haven’t played them much, but you have to be well balanced to make the final.”
In addition, Pat Cummins commended left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj and emphasised the potency of South Africa’s bowling attack in addition to the fast bowlers. Curiously, he also acknowledged that he was unsure of the South African team because neither country had played the other in Test matches at an ICC event.
Because there are so many unknowns, it’s difficult to say. Although we haven’t played them much, making it to the final requires a great deal of balance. Their bowling has always been exceptional, and it is now as well. They always have a lot of quick bowlers who are a threat, and Keshav Maharaj is a tremendously reliable spinner,” Cummins said.
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