WTC: Serial-winners Australia succumb to first defeat in ICC finals after 15 years

Australia tasted defeat in an International Cricket Council (ICC) final after 15 years as South Africa took the win by 5 wickets to win the World Test Championship (WTC) at Lord's on Saturday, June 14. Statistically, the most successful side across all formats in the men's division, Australia, were always considered to be the favourites when it came to the big occasions. The men's team have amassed 10 major honours in ICC events, including six ODI World Cup titles, two Champions' Trophy titles, and one World Test Championship and T20 World Cup title each.

However, it wasn't meant to be for the Baggy Greens as the Temba Bavuma-led side put up one of their finest performances in South African cricket's history to win their first major honour in the longest format. Having contested in 14 finals in ICC tournaments, Australia have only ended up on the losing side on four occasions, including the WTC defeat.

The first was the ODI World Cup in 1975, their first major final, where the West Indies beat them by 17 runs at Lord's.

Their next loss came 21 years later, in the 1996 ODI World Cup final, where Sri Lanka put up a dominant batting effort to beat



Australia by 7 wickets and 22 balls to spare in Lahore.

14 years later, their most recent defeat in an ICC tournament final was against England in the 2010 T20 World Cup, where Australia suffered a 7-wicket loss at Bridgetown, Barbados.

South Africa is the latest entry to a rare list of teams to overcome the mighty Australian side. Despite Australia's captain, Pat Cummins taking a six-wicket haul in the first innings to bundle the Proteas out for 138 in the first innings, they made up in the final innings where Aiden Markram's 136 supported by Temba Bavuma's 66 steadied the ship and led them to their first major honour since 1998.

It will be a rare sight for Cummins as well. Since taking up the leadership role for Australia, his side had previously made it to two finals, where they beat India for the WTC title for the 2021-2023 cycle, followed by the 2023 ODI World Cup as well.

There will be a lot to ponder for this Australian side, and it remains to be seen whether they will continue to persist with the current combinations or whether this defeat will be the start of a new era, with new faces being brought into the Test side.