Australia are in command in the WTC Final 2025, all thanks to Pat Cummins. The Australian captain has bagged a five-wicket haul to dismantle South Africa in their first innings. Australia posted 212 in the first innings. His 6/28 helped Australia take a 74-run first-innings lead and close in on retaining the World Test Championship title. This was the best bowling figure by a captain at Lord’s and the best bowling figure in a WTC Final. He also became the 8th Australian to complete 300 Test wickets.
Cummins bagged a wicket on Day 1, dismissing Wian Mulder. On Day 2, he went on a rampage, removing Temba Bavuma, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada. He becomes only the third bowler after Kyle Jamieson and Kagiso Rabada to bag a five-wicket haul in a WTC Final.
“For any fast bowler 300 is a big number, niggles, injuries and played for a long time, so pretty happy. When the ball is soft, it’s easier to bat, but it still feels like the odd ball is nipping; I feel we bowled well,” Pat Cummins said at the innings break.
List of five-wicket hauls in WTC Final
- 5/31: Kyle Jamieson vs India, WTC Final 2021
- 5/51: Kagiso Rabada vs Australia, WTC Final 2025
- 6/28: Pat Cummins vs South Africa, WTC Final 2025
Pat Cummins vs South Africa
The Australian Test and ODI captain, who has 46 Test wickets against South Africa, led the pace-bowling attack. With just 212 on board, Mitchell Starc delivered the early blows before Cummins took over. With South Africa captain Temba Bavuma leading the fightback, Cummins delivered a wicket. Marnus Labuschagne grabbed a stunning diving catch to dismiss Bavuma.
Kyle Verreynne fell soon to Cummins. David Bedingham, who survived after an obstructing the field fiasco, also became Cummins’ victim. After his short ball barrage rattled Kagiso Rabada, the Protean also perished to Cummins.
With 6/28, Cummins recorded his best bowling figure against South Africa. Overall, he has 80 wickets across formats against the Proteas in 32 matches.
| Format | Mat | Inns | Overs | Wkts | Best | 5W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 9 | 17 | 303.5 | 47 | 6/28 | 4 |
| ODI | 13 | 13 | 115.4 | 20 | 3/28 | 0 |
| T20I | 10 | 10 | 37 | 13 | 3/25 | 0 |
Records Pat Cummins broke in the WTC Final 2025
- 6/28 – Recorded the best bowling figure by any bowler in a WTC Final
- 6/28 – Best bowling figure by a captain at Lord’s
- 3 – Third bowler to take a five-wicket haul in a WTC Final
- 8 – Became 8th Australian to complete 300 Test wickets
- 9 – Cummins bagged his 9th fifer to move to 3rd spot of most five-wicket hauls by a captain
- 80 – This was Cummins’ 80th wicket vs South Africa
- 4 – Cummins bagged his 4th fifer against South Africa
Most Test 5-fers as captain
- 12 – Imran Khan
- 9 – Richie Benaud
- 9 – Pat Cummins
- 8 – Bishan Singh Bedi
- 7 – Courtney Walsh
- 7 – Jason Holder
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