WTC Final: Australia lose first ICC final after 15 years and four straight wins | Cricket News

Australia’s captain Pat Cummins, fourth left, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of South Africa’s captain Temba Bavuma in World Test Championship final. (AP)

Australia’s unbeaten streak in ICC tournament finals was brought to a halt by South Africa at Lord’s in the 2023-25 World Test Championship final. It is Australia’s only fourth defeat across 14 global finals that they’ve played in 50 years.The Australian team, led by Pat Cummins, had gone over a decade without experiencing an ICC final loss. Senior players had maintained an unbeaten record in finals across formats since 2010.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The core members of the current Australian team, including Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Steve Smith, had been part of multiple successful ICC tournament victories. These include the 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cups, the 2021 T20 World Cup, and the 2023 ICC World Test Championship final against India.Steve Smith becomes the first and only Australian player to experience two ICC finals defeats. His previous final loss came during the 2010 T20 World Cup against England in Barbados.

Australia’s dominance in ICC tournaments is reflected in their impressive record of 10 ICC titles across formats. Their history in ICC finals shows remarkable consistency, with only three defeats in their previous encounters spanning five decades.The Australian team’s first ICC final defeat came in their inaugural appearance, facing West Indies in the 1975 World Cup final. Their second loss occurred in 1996 when the Mark Taylor-led side was defeated by Sri Lanka.At Lord’s, South Africa, who needed 69 runs to win going on Day 4 of the WTC Final, ended Australia’s 15-year unblemished record in ICC finals and marked only their fourth loss in 14 ICC finals over 50 years.Australia’s win-loss record in ICC tournament finals