Australia’s Road to the WTC 2025 Final: A Story of Self-belief and Skill

By Shah Faisal 

The final of WTC will be played between Australia and South Africa on 11 of June 2025. This will mark Australia’s second WTC final in the space of three cycles. They missed out on the final of the first cycle due to a points penaltyl.  Playing two back-to-back finals isn't a walk in the park. It needs grit, commitment and a level of skills that only Australia and India have produced so far.  Their journey to this end of the cycle was marked by special performances, quality leadership and a typical Australian attitude marked by head-on fight and self-belief. Their first test of the new test cycle was The Ashes 2023.  

Ashes 2023: A Balanced Battle 

Australia were put to the test by the Bazz-ball intoxicated, England from the first ball that Cummins bowled to Crawly; A shot through cover yielding four. It was a perfect revenge of the Starc delivery bowled to Burnes two years ago. However, Pat Cummins' heroics with the bat changed the first match from loss into a win, followed by a second win in the second test. Thanks to Australia's calmness while battling the nightmare, Ben Stokes, who was on the verge of repeating Headingly 2019.


The two early wins in the series gave Australia a healthy lead. A strong comeback from England saw two wins and a narrow escape for Australia helped by rain. which concluded the series in a 2-2 draw. Despite the series being evenly contested, Australia retained the urn, showcasing their resilience. Usman Khawaja emerged as the leading run-scorer with 496 runs, while Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins were instrumental with the ball, sharing over 40 wickets between them. 

Dominance at Home: Pakistan and West Indies Series 

Australia hosted Pakistan and West Indies in consecutive home series, securing a 3-0 victory against Pakistan and a 1-1 draw with West Indies. The home season saw a magnificent fight from West Indies lead by Shemar Joseph. Pat Cummins led the bowling attack with 19 wickets against Pakistan, while Mitchell Marsh contributed 344 runs. Against the West Indies, Josh Hazlewood stood out with 14 wickets, maintaining Australia's strong home record.

New Zealand Series: Green and Carey Shine 

In March 2024, Australia toured New Zealand for a two-Test series, securing a 2-0 victory. 

In the first test, Cameron Green delivered a career-best performance, scoring an unbeaten 174 runs, anchoring Australia's first innings total of 383. His innings was instrumental in setting up a 172-run victory. Nathan Lyon complemented the effort with a six-wicket haul in the second innings. 

In the second test, in a challenging chase of 279 runs, Alex Carey played a match-winning knock of 98 not out, guiding Australia to a three-wicket victory. His performance earned him the Player of the Match award and equalled the record for most catches in a match by a wicketkeeper. 

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Reclaiming Supremacy 

In the home series against India, Australia reclaimed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 3-1 victory. This was a series for ages. Two hugely talented and confident teams fought like lions against each other without the idea of giving up at any time. Jasprit Bumrah mesmerised the world with his bowling. Travis Head (his surname changes from Head to Headache when it comes to playing against India) played a pivotal role, notably with a 143-run innings in Perth.


Scott Boland delivered a remarkable performance in Sydney, taking 10 wickets in the match, underlining Australia's depth in bowling. India had ample opportunities in the series but an out of form middle order made it hard for them to seize the days for them. 

Tour of Sri Lanka: Conquering Subcontinental Challenges 

Australia's 2-0 series win in Sri Lanka marked their first series victory in Asia in over a decade. Steve Smith scored twin centuries in Galle, while Alex Carey achieved his highest Test score of 156, the highest by an Australian wicketkeeper in Asia. Nathan Lyon excelled on spin-friendly pitches, taking crucial wickets throughout the series. 

Key Performers of the WTC Cycle

The force behind Australia’s success was their bowling attack. Cummins 73, Starc 72, Lyon 63 and Hazelwood 57 wickets remain the key factor behind Australia's perfect reach to the final. In batting it was Travis Head and Usman Khwaja and Steve Smith who scored ample and quality runs in the cycle. 

Australia's journey to the WTC Final 2025 has been characterized by a great inner belief that they can fight anything. They changed great defeats into remarkable wins. They kept their heads cool and attitude hot. With an experienced squad and seasonal players Australia played like how they should have played. It won't be a surpise if they manage to win the WTC final in England.