Australia captain Pat Cummins stated South Africa deserved to win the WTC Final, admitting his team missed a chance by not batting longer despite having a strong first-innings lead.
Australia’s hopes of defending their ICC World Test Championship title ended with a five-wicket loss to South Africa at Lord’s. Captain Pat Cummins reflected on the missed chance, noting that an extra session with the bat could have shifted the momentum.
Australia carried a 74-run first-innings lead but struggled in their second innings, setting South Africa a target of 282. The Proteas chased it down with composure on Day 4. Cummins acknowledged that his team failed to capitalise on their early advantage. He feels one more batting session could have tilted the conditions in Australia’s favour.
“Things can change quickly, but unfortunately, it was beyond our reach. With a solid first-innings lead, that’s when you aim to bat the opposition out of the game, and we didn’t manage to do that,” Cummins said.
“If we had batted for another session, the conditions might have favoured us more. South Africa were excellent in that fourth innings. The pitch didn’t offer much, but they gave us no chances. They demonstrated why they are here and are worthy winners, maintaining their position throughout,” he added.
Pat Cummins Admits Aussie Top-Order Failed Under Pressure
Pat Cummins then acknowledged Australia’s second-innings collapse, attributing it to both challenging conditions and underperformance by the top order. After leading by 74 runs, Australia slipped to 73/7, allowing South Africa to gain control. Cummins credited his bowlers for their efforts over the first two days, but admitted the batting didn’t hold up when it mattered most
“A bit of both. It’s been an amazing two years, and the team has performed exceptionally to reach this point. It just didn’t come together in this match. For the first two days, the bowlers were fantastic and consistently made the ball move, so it was probably a combination of both factors,” he said.
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“It’s the pinnacle; I love Test cricket. Reaching the final is a significant achievement, and a one-game shootout is quite a spectacle. Although we didn’t win, it has been a great week,” the skipper concluded.
The Proteas now hold their first-ever World Test Championship title.
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Last Updated on June 14, 2025
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