The third Test of the three-match series between the West Indies and Australia was full of entertainment and fuss around it as the players got into heated moments throughout the three days. The start of the two-part episode was when the right-arm pacer Jayden Seales charged up to Mitchell Starc after knocking his stumps down on the first evening of the day-night Test.

Seales, perhaps, wasn’t aware of the situation. He ran in hard and disturbed the stumps of the left-handed batter, Mitchell Starc, with a cracking yorker. The pacer stopped in the middle and pointed his arm towards the Australian dressing room as Starc left the field with a smile on his face. He was superb with the ball that evening, making it hard for the visiting batters.

See Also: [WATCH] Dinesh Karthik dissects why India lost the 3rd Test against England at Lord's

But Starc got the best chance to give it back during the third and what proved to be the last day of the series. The left-arm pacer started the second innings with a bang, having found the outside edge of John Campbell on the first ball of the defense. The last wicket was off Seales, who couldn’t handle the firing yorker, as Starc had a huge roar to the pacer, who had nothing to do but soak it in the end.

Watch: Mitchell Starc and Jayden Seales engaged in sledging during the WI vs AUS 3rd Test

Australia had already retained their Frank-Worrell Trophy, coming into the third fixture of the series at Sabina Park in Jamaica. In the first innings, the tourists got rolled over for just 225 runs on the board as none of the batters could reach a half-century. It wasn’t the sweetest performance ever from the home side with the bat.

stfu Jayden Seales, u don't sledge Mitchell Starc in the pink ball test, that's basic common sense 💀💀pic.twitter.com/AEnahAZAQK https://t.co/DaqAWXe7QW

— Debuu (SNation) (@They_callme_GG) July 14, 2025

The Roston Chase-led side got 143 runs in their first innings as only John Campbell crossed the 35-run mark. The rest of the line-up had no idea of how to face the touring pacers under the artificial lights. The ball kept swinging and nipping around in the air, making it incredibly hard for the batters.

Another inspiring performance with the ball, led by Alzarri Joseph’s five-wicket haul, saw the Aussies make only 121 runs in the second innings. But that was enough even only for the fourth innings as the Caribbean team blew away for just 27 with Starc enjoying a magical figure of 6/9 in the second innings of his 100th Test.

Scenes of absolute carnage ensued on day three of the third Test at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica. Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc wreaked havoc on the West Indian batters during the second innings to dismiss them cheaply for 27. The duo unleashed total mayhem on the fragile Windies batting lineup and left them utterly paralyzed. 

Starc and Boland were the pick of the bowlers, sharing nine wickets between them while Hazlewood chipped in with a solitary wicket to sink the home side inside the first hour for the second-lowest Test score. Amidst all the carnage, the 36-year-old Boland certainly hogged the limelight by claiming a sensational hat-trick. The underrated BGT Test hero etched his name in his record books by becoming the 10th Australian to bag a test hat-trick. 

However, Boland unlocked another rare record, which was previously not registered in a Day/Night (D/N) Test match. He becomes the first bowler to ever claim a hat-trick in a D/N test match. It's a feat he and Cricket Australia will treasure for generations to come. On the back of this fiery bowling performance, Australia were able to register an anihiliating 3-0 whitewash over the hosts.  

See also: [WATCH]: Mitchell Starc joins elite club of 400 Test wickets during WI vs AUS 3rd Test in Jamaica

Here is how the carnage unfolded

Boland’s Hat-trick Lights Up Sabina 🔥

Scott Boland rips through West Indies with a searing hat-trick as they collapse for 27 all out — their lowest Test score ever 😧#WIvAUS pic.twitter.com/uc8iPj3dS6

— FanCode (@FanCode) July 14, 2025

Australia's resistance did not last long as they were only able to add 23 runs to their overnight score of 99-6 before being folded for 122. Boland, who had previously picked up three wickets in the first innings, was in the mood to continue his prolific run with the ball. He got the ball rolling by getting Greaves out 11, off a thick outside edge during the 14th over. A ball later, Shamar followed suit as he was adjudged lbw following a successful review from Australia, which compelled the on-field umpire to reverse the decision to out. And in the end, Warrican succumbed in the third successive delivery, which jagged back in off the surface to rattle the top of his off stump. 

Boland had the West Indies by the scruff of their neck at that time as they were reeling at 26-9. They were level with New Zealand's lowest Test score of 26 and were in real danger of getting bundled out for the joint lowest Test score. But Alzarri was able to squeeze out a run in the next over and lift the Windies above the lowest-ever test score. 

Boland was on a roll in this Test match and returned outstanding figures of 6/36, while Starc, who was playing his 100th Test, finished with combined figures of 7/41 and was subsequently awarded the Player of the Match award (POTM). 

WI vs AUS 3rd Test:

• Australia: 225 and 121
• West Indies: 143 and 27
• Australia won by 176 runs

West Indies skittled for 27. A historic low for the Caribbeans in the longest format of the game. Australia demolished their batting lineup at Sabina Park. Mitchell Starc scripted the fastest 5-wicket haul in Test history, Scott Boland struck with a hat trick, and the West Indies were simply outclassed at their own yard. Seven 0s, one 6-wicket haul, and one hat trick—that’s the summary of the second innings of the third of three-match West Indies vs Australia (WI vs AUS) series. 

Sabina Park, mostly known as the hunting ground for the Pacers, got more spiced up due to some brilliant spells with the pink ball. The third match started with a 2-0 lead by Australia. After losing the series, the home team had only one target: fight for the pride. Shamar Joseph, Alzarri Joseph, Jayden Seales, Justin Greaves’ The West Indies did inspire bowling spells within the day-night test. But they lack heavily in their batting department. During the final run chase in the second innings, the WI batters had no clue how to face the seaming deliveries by a couple of Aussies.

Starc simply beat them by placing the ball at the perfect line and length, followed by movements. Without any crazy pace or surprising bounce, Mitchell Starc bagged 6 wickets in the second innings. He took only 15 balls to accomplish his 5-wicket figure, a dream 15-ball spell, absolutely unplayable, and arguably one of the best bowling spells in the Tests in modern-era cricket. Out of the eleven men of the West Indies batting line-up, seven heads went down and went back to the pavilion without scoring a single run. Three batters—Mikyle Louis, Shai Hope, and Greaves—scored 4, 2, and 11 runs, respectively. After a deadly spell by Starc, Scott Boland decorated the party with a hat trick.

Read More: WTC 2025-27 point's table after ENG vs IND 3rd Test at Lord's

Fall of wickets for West Indies:

0/1 (J. Campbell, 0.1 ov) · 0/2 (K. Anderson, 0.5 ov) · 0/3 (B. King, 0.6 ov) · 5/4 (M. Louis, 4.1 ov) · 7/5 (S. Hope, 4.3 ov) · 11/6 (R. Chase, 5.2 ov) · 26/7 (J. Greaves, 13.1 ov) · 26/8 (S. Joseph, 13.2 ov) · 26/9 (J. Warrican, 13.3 ov) · 27/10 (J. Seales, 14.3 ov)

Bowling figure of Starc in the second innings: 7.3-4-9-6-1.20

Bowling figure of Boland in the second innings: 2.0-1-2-3-1.00

Australia came into the third Test of the three-match series at Sabina Park in Jamaica, having already sealed the series by an unbeatable lead of 0-2. But all eyes were on their veteran left-arm pacer, Mitchell Starc, who was celebrating his 100th red-ball fixture. And he celebrated it with his 400th wicket in the five-day format. 

Starc started the first over of the second innings of West Indies’ batting with 396 wickets and he got three wickets in the first six balls of the innings. On the very first ball, John Campbell’s feet didn’t move as he was tempted and carried his weight forward to get an outside edge into the hands of the wicket-keeper.

See Also: Watch: Mohammed Siraj's unlucky dismissal vs England in today's ENG vs IND 3rd Test match

Three balls later, Starc went with a beaming swinging delivery. Having faced out-swingers and straight deliveries on the previous three balls of the over, Kevlon Anderson decided to lift his bat and leave the ball. However, it came back sharp and hit him right on the foot as the shocking replay shows three reds to send the batter back in the hut.

Watch: Mitchell Starc joins 400 Test wicket club in 100th Test against West Indies in Jamaica

On the very next ball, Brandon King kept making the same mistakes as the first two batters. He went for another drive as another in-swinging delivery from the New South Wales pacer hit the pad of the batter and crashed into the middle and leg stump. The left-arm pacer, in the blink of an eye, reached 399 wickets.

𝐌𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐜 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟒𝟎𝟎 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭 💥

Starc reaches 400 wickets in just 19,062 balls, making him the second-fastest ever behind only Dale Steyn 🐐🔥#WIvAUS pic.twitter.com/geZsDEZghR

— FanCode (@FanCode) July 14, 2025

However, the biggest moment came when he trapped Mikle Lewis with the same inswinger as the batter tried to block the ball with a minimum feet movement and left a big bat-pad gap for the ball to jag back and hit it. Starc joined an elite club of Australian bowlers- Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, and Nathan Lyon to celebrate 400 wickets in the longest format.

Two balls later, he trapped Shai Hope to celebrate his five-wicket haul and ended with final figures of 6/9 in 7.3 overs. The 35-year-old now has collected 402 wickets in 100 Tests at an average of just 27, shouldering 16 five-wicket hauls. Now his next mission will be the upcoming Ashes 2025/26 where his role will be as crucial as anybody with the new ball. 

The beautiful game of cricket has several intricacies, and fast bowling is one aspect that offers it sheer brilliance and sensation. Seeing a bowler at his mark, loading up with the ball as ammunition, striding ahead towards the crease, and delivering fast is an electrifying sight. Stepping up, setting the speed gun on fire, and hitting the top mark, visible as speed on the big screen, is an incredible moment in the game. As exciting as it can get, the chill of pace bowling is an immense source of adrenaline among the players and viewers. 

To master the skills of fast bowling, it takes a great amount of hard work, practice, rhythm, momentum, and innumerable accurate run-ups. To bowl the fastest ball in the match and for the history books is a beholding sight and requires immaculate strategies, strength, and consistency. To be counted as one of the fastest bowlers in the cricket world is a matter of humongous pride and an indication of pure greatness. 

Creating dread among the batters and overpowering them in the modern formats of the game is quite tough. Speed bowling is one tool, if employed and executed at its best, can bundle out the opposition in a jiffy. The protagonists of these are a rare species of players who possess the ball like venom and have set records for the same. Here is a look at the top ten fastest bowlers in the world who are currently in the game and actively plying their trade. 

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Mitchell Starc

The tall and lanky left-arm fast bowling sensation from Australia often takes the cricketing universe by storm because of his sensational pace. He is currently the fastest bowler in the world, having clocked an unimaginable speed of 99.7 miles per hour in a test match against New Zealand in 2015. His average speeds are in the high 140s kph, and his smooth action makes him look aesthetic while delivering balls. When he spearheads the bowling attack of any team, a fear is instilled among the batters, and this attribute has made him one of the highest wicket-takers for his nation, currently at 382 wickets in tests. His potent fitness while being a pacer is a testament to his focused approach towards meticulous practice, planning, and workload management. 

Haris Rauf

The skiddy bowler from Pakistan is a white ball specialist. He began his international career as a T20 player and soon got opportunities in the ODI circuit as well. He is tall, bangs the surface hard, and extracts extra bounce off the pitch. In a match against England in the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup, Australia, he bowled at 99 miles per hour, sending rocket waves across the bowling fraternity. He is a regular player in his national side and has accumulated 206 wickets, so far, in limited-overs cricket. His average bowling speed nears 150 kmph on many occasions. 

Lockie Ferguson

The Kiwi bowler is a great customer of batters' wickets. His sheer pace, complemented by impeccable bounce, line, and length, makes it extremely tough to score against him. His rhythmic bowling action makes his task look effortless. He regularly plays in the IPL and is a great asset for any team. Once in the 2022 season, playing for the Gujarat Titans against the Rajasthan Royals, he produced a magical delivery worth 157.3 kmph and set the speed gun ablaze. For New Zealand, he has, so far, taken 163 wickets in white ball cricket.

Umran Malik

The speedster from Jammu and Kashmir was the talk of the town even before his debut in professional cricket. His raw pace, coupled with youthful energy, made him a fast bowling sensation. This put him in the category of a rare breed of pacers, an asset that could serve India and IPL cricket for years to come. In the 2022 IPL season, playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad against the Delhi Capitals, he bowled a superfast delivery, measured at 157 kmph in the speed metrics. It became the second fastest ball in that season and earned him a place in the National side. He, however, has been very unfortunate with injuries and has missed out on a lot of game time over the years, hoping to return very soon and produce similar goods for which he became popular. 

Mayank Yadav

Mayank Yadav rose in the ranks while playing for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 2024 season of IPL. His impressive performances from the time he got an opportunity made the cricket pundits and viewers talk about him quite a lot on social media. In a match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he clocked a top speed of 156.7 kmph and took everyone by surprise. Delivering that fast at a tender age and also scalping a few wickets made him a player to watch out for ahead. He, too, has lacked the rub of the green in his strides and has dealt with injuries very frequently. 

Mark Wood

The English quick is one of the fastest bowlers in the world and among only a few who possess the ability to turn the tide in his team's favour purely by fiery pace bowling. He sprints like an athlete and delivers fire. At times, his absence from the England team make their attack look bleak and without any venom. Of late, his improved fitness has made him play a lot more matches than he used to in the past, and that is good for the game itself. During the test tour of Pakistan in 2022, he bowled a ball at 156.6 kmph and became the fastest bowler in England's history. He has taken 255 wickets across formats for his nation yet. 

Anrich Nortje

The South African right-arm speedster has an average bowling speed of around 150 kmph. His bowling resonates with business, and so does his serious looks. Playing for the Delhi Capitals and bowling to Rajasthan Royals' Jos Buttler, he sent waves across the world by recording a gobsmacking speed of 156.22 kmph. The Protea pacer, however, has been less economical over the years and has gone for a few in his overs on numerous occasions. Injuries have pegged him back quite a lot. He currently bowls quick but needs to be smart enough in disguising the batters to sustain himself further in the game. 

Kagiso Rabada

Another bowler hailing from South Africa is an all-format player for the National side. Known for his consistency, Rabada has been a go-to bowler for whichever team he has played in, at all levels. He might lack express pace when compared to other bowlers in the list, but if coupled with the right line and lengths, it apparently seems quite threatening. In IPL 2019, he produced a delivery having a speed of 154.23 kmph. Kagiso has 327 test wickets to his name. 

Jofra Archer

The Caribbean-born pacer became eligible to play for England in 2019 and was fast-tracked into the National side just before the ODI World Cup scheduled in the same year. This news sent seismic waves across the cricket world, and Jofra Archer has been associated with sheer pace since his inception. His raw speed and unparalleled accuracy make it a nightmare for opposition batters, and time and again, he has displayed that. 2019 was a glorious year for him, and he made his name by performing impressively well in the World Cup and the Ashes. 

Mohammad Shami

The Indian pace bowler is known to have the best seam position of the ball. He makes the ball talk at his own will, seaming and swinging notoriously. Delivered at a great pace, it becomes extremely difficult for the batters to negotiate his overs and spells, especially in the longest format of the game. His action is flawless and equivalent to poetry in cricket. His skills affirm the fact that fast bowling is all about rhythm. For India, Shami has struck 462 times across the three formats. 

Experience hit at the crucial moment, a dream delivery from Mitchell Starc. Tristan Stubbs had no clue how to deal with the delivery.

When the situation looked all settled for South Africa to win their first-ever World Test Championship (WTC) title, Starc struck. Credit also goes to Captain Pat Cummins for utilizing the experienced pacer during such a pressure situation.

After playing over forty deliveries, Stubbs was not looking comfortable on the wicket and tried to go aggressive multiple times but failed to execute. Before being bowled out against Mitchell Starc, Stubbs lived dangerously against Nathan Lyon and then Starc before the wicket-taking delivery. The 35-year-old pacer tried to put extra force on the weak link of the batting pair, which was Stubbs.

Read More: ICC declines India’s request to host upcoming WTC final: Report

A cutter, went in to shattered the wickets

Strac tried to use the bounce from the pitch and the angle through his runner-up. Stubbs escaped a catch behind the wicket by a narrow margin against the same bowler, but his fortune faded away during the 3rd delivery of the 71st over. 

This time, the speed star used a scrabble seam delivery on the up, swung in to expose the batter's defense, and brushed the top of the timbers. The bails, red lights on, spinning out from the wickets. After facing 43 deliveries, Tristan Stubbs departed for only 8 runs. Australia got the wicket when South Africa was on 241. 

Watch the brilliant delivery here

STARC GETS STUBBS WITH A BEAUTY. pic.twitter.com/xOUZJf1AXP

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 14, 2025

An action-packed World Test Championship Final (WTC Final) ongoing at Lord's between Australia and South Africa. Arguably, two of the most lethal bowling combinations are now facing each other, where only one will manage to win the Test mace.

After a couple of days of competition between South Africa and Australia, which bowling attack impressed the most? Australia's former international Matthew Hayden chose his favorite combination between these two finalists—Australia, the defending champion, and South Africa, in search of their first WTC title.

According to the Aussie legend, the way Australia bowlers are doing their job and possessing threats so far, undoubtedly, Pat Cummins and his boys are the best. One step further, the former cricketer turned cricket expert labeled the current Australian bowling line-up in front for the combination of the legendary trio Glen McGrath, Brett Lee, and Jason Gillespie.

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Awesome foursome: Mathew Hayden 

"The trio of Hazlewood, Cummins, and Starc might just be Australia’s best-ever pace attack—even better than McGrath, Gillespie, and Lee—because they’ve bowled more together, in more combinations. Add Nathan Lyon to the mix, and it’s an ‘awesome foursome.’ Australia did well to pull ahead despite pressure. South Africa fought back hard, making this a seesaw contest. "It’s been a fantastic Test match so far, and Day 3 promises more drama," said Hayden.

In the ongoing final, Pat Cummins created history by taking 6 wickets in an innings at Lord's and kept his team in the front seat. Along with Cummins's 6, Mitchell Starc snatched a couple of scalps, and Jose Hazlewood captured a wicket in the first innings. After that, so far in the second innings, Starc already clinched the wickets of Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder. During the development of this article, South Africa needs 206 runs to win the final match. 

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood showed great fight on the third morning of the World Test Championship Final at Lord’s, frustrating South Africa with a gutsy last-wicket stand of 59 runs. Their partnership helped Australia stretch their second innings total to 207 and set a tough target of 282.

Australia started the day at 144 for 8. Nathan Lyon didn’t last long and was trapped LBW by Kagiso Rabada in just the second over of the morning. When Hazlewood walked in, South Africa would have expected to wrap things up quickly. But Starc and Hazlewood had other plans.

The pair battled hard and stayed at the crease for almost two hours. The pitch had eased up a bit, and the sun was out, making batting easier than the first two days. Starc, who was on 14 overnight, took full advantage of the conditions. He played with great patience and slowly built his innings. He reached a well-deserved half-century from 132 balls.

Just before lunch, Marco Jansen came back to bowl and got an edge off Starc’s bat, but the ball flew over the slips for four. That shot not only brought up Starc’s fifty but also raised the fifty-run partnership for the last wicket. It was Starc’s eighth Test fifty from the No. 9 position or lower the most by any tailender in Test history.

With no breakthrough in sight, South African captain Temba Bavuma turned to part-time bowler Aiden Markram. The move paid off. After bowling a tight first over, Markram got Hazlewood out for 17 from 53 balls in his second over, ending Australia’s innings.

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Twitter reactions after Strac Scored 50 in WTC Final

Playing 100 balls as a bowler is not everyone's cup of tea#AUSvSA #WTCFinal #MitchelStarc pic.twitter.com/X7C7eqKFSj

— Memes Banisalu (@Memes_Banisalu) June 13, 2025

No arrogance
No self obsession
No attitude
Never played for economy
No unnecessary rest
No choking in knockouts
No illegal action
Can hold bat too

Ladies and gentleman that's Mitchell Starc for you 🐐pic.twitter.com/umDrH9rxsf

— D.🇲🇰 (@dkhive102) June 13, 2025

Mitchell Starc is a bowler❌
Mitchell Starc is a Batsman❌

Mitchell Starc is an all-rounder ✅ pic.twitter.com/s3avWX5oc1

— Lokesh Saini🚩 (@LokeshVirat18K) June 13, 2025

🚨Hats off to Starc!🚨

You may somehow escape Mitchell Starc’s fire-breathing bowling, but then comes his fearless batting will break your defense. A true match-winner and one of the greatest players of this generation.

-Huge respect for Starc 🙌 pic.twitter.com/gSQdvAbTAf

— Niik (@Niiki099) June 13, 2025

A knock that made the coach smile, the captain happy, and his wife proud👏

Mitchell Starc won’t forget this one for a long time. pic.twitter.com/tDpuTaotR0

— Root Jaiswal (@JaiswalRoot) June 13, 2025

Mitchell Starc with Bat - 👽
Mitchell Starc with Ball - 💀 pic.twitter.com/r6wJDaKqwr

— legendary GOATS (@goats_legend) June 13, 2025

Another day, another match-winning spell from Starc!
How lucky is Australia to have this legend still firing on all cylinders? 🇦🇺🏆 #MitchellStarc #GOAT pic.twitter.com/LmIp6doG5k

— vikash Kumar Sinha (@vikashaps) June 13, 2025

Set aside his bowling — when the team’s in deep trouble, he steps up with the bat. Walked in at 72/7 and dragged them to a fighting 207, facing the most balls.
Clutch performer in knockout games, every single time! 🔥#WTCFinal #MitchellStarc pic.twitter.com/jmuCXVkyC6

— Srinath Roychowdhury (@SrinathRoychow1) June 13, 2025

Australian ace pacer Mitchell Starc achieves a monumental record on day one of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) Final at Lord's. The 36-year-old left-arm quick snapped two quick wickets at the end of the day's play to reduce South Africa to 43-4 at stumps. Starc accounted for the dismissals of Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton to become the highest wicket-taker in an ICC Final. Starc has a tally of 11 wickets so far in the ICC Finals, surpassing India's Mohammed Shami, who has 10 wickets.

Furthermore, he also becomes the second-highest wicket-taker in ICC Knockout games, being at par with the legendary pace bowling sensation Glenn McGrath. He now needs two more wickets to better his tally and go past Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan (23), who currently claims the top spot. 

See also: WATCH: Mitchell Starc's ripper gets Aiden Markram for duck in SA vs AUS WTC Final

Starc overshadows Shami to become the highest wicket-taker in ICC Finals

Mitchell Starc overtakes Mohammed Shami for the most wickets in major men's ICC tournament finals. 🤯🔥#Cricket #Starc #Shami #WTC pic.twitter.com/zN3ef466wJ

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) June 12, 2025

The New South Wales-born pacer has been an exceptional performer for Australia across all formats. Starc is a genuine match-winner and has a proven track record of delivering in big matches. The pacer has 707 wickets (and counting) in all formats, with a major chunk of them (384) coming from Test cricket. Starc can be equally devastating with the new ball as well as the old ball. With his express pace and naturally tall height, Starc can not only trouble the batters with lateral movement, but can also cause a few hiccups with his short-pitched deliveries. 

After being dismissed rather prematurely for 212 (despite a promising stand between Smith and Webster), the Aussie quicks launched a successful late assault to leave South Africa reeling by the end of day one. Starc wreaked havoc with the ball by dismissing Markram through the gate and later followed it up by delivering a delightful ball to Rickelton, getting him caught in the slips. 

Lord's, London, June 11, 2025 – South Africa opted to bowl first in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 at Lord's and created early marks, but Australia responded to level the game and manage 212/10. South Africa, in turn, battled against Australia's pace attack and closed Day 1 at 43/4, 169 runs behind. The day featured powerful bowling performances and crucial wickets, and it looks like the match will be a thrilling one.

Australia Innings

Australia was restricted to 212/10 in 56.4 overs following a difficult day against South Africa's pace-oriented attack. Beau Webster top-scored with a gritty 72 off 92 balls, holding the innings together, and Steve Smith made a gritty 66 off 112. Their 79-run fifth-wicket partnership was the standout, but South Africa's bowling unit hit back, led by Kagiso Rabada, who took 5/51 in 15.4 overs, with the early wickets of Usman Khawaja (0) and Cameron Green (4). Marco Jansen backed up with 3/49, picking up Smith through a fabulous reflex catch off Aiden Markram's bowling (1/5). South Africa's tight bowling in the absence of a late charge by Alex Carey (23 off 31) meant that Australia's innings was brought to a quick end, with the final five wickets coming down for 22 runs.

South Africa Innings

South Africa reached 43/4 in 22 overs, falling behind by 169 runs at stumps. The innings began on a poor note as Aiden Markram was dismissed by Mitchell Starc off the first over for a six-ball zero, and then Ryan Rickelton for 16 off 23, caught behind slips. Wiaan Mulder was dismissed for 6 off 44 off Pat Cummins, and Tristan Stubbs for 2 off 13 before being struck by Josh Hazlewood. David Bedingham (8* off 9) and Temba Bavuma (3* off 37) played anchor, but Australia's bowlers, headed by Starc (2/10) and ably aided by Hazlewood (1/10) and Cummins (1/14), maintained the pressure. South Africa's top order struggled in front of the swinging ball, and they have a difficult task on Day 2.

Also Read: WATCH: Mitchell Starc's ripper gets Aiden Markram for duck in SA vs AUS WTC Final

SA vs AUS, WTC Final 2025 – Day 1 Match Scorecard 

Australia – 212/10 (56.4 Overs)

South Africa – 43/4 (22 Overs)