The much-anticipated ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final between champion Australia and South Africa will be played at Lord’s from June 11-15.
Pat Cummins-led Australia will be looking to retain the mace that they claimed after defeating India in the previous edition of the World Test Championship Final at the Oval in June 2023. On the other hand, a determined South Africa aim for their first ICC trophy in over two decades, with Temba Bavuma leading the charge.
Ahead of the mega clash, former Australia opener Matthew Hayden backed Tristan Stubbs to become the x-factor for South Africa in the ICC World Test Championship final against Australia. The 53-year-old feels Stubbs’ playing style is very similar to ex-England batter Kevin Pietersen.
Notably, Stubbs batted at number five for South Africa in their recent warm-up game against Zimbabwe at Arundel. He could bat at that same position when they face Australia in the WTC final at Lord’s from June 11-15.
“Someone like Tristan Stubbs, I think, can be a bit of an X-factor. Similar to the way that Kevin Peterson was in the England side against Australia, who can come out, start to dominate,” said Hayden to Star Sports.
The Temba Bavuma-led South Africa made it to their first-ever WTC final after finishing at the top of the 2023-25 standings with a 69.44-point percentage.
The 24-year-old was part of Delhi Capitals in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. He scored 300 runs in 14 games at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 150.75. Though he didn’t hit a single fifty in the competition, Hayden still feels his big-hitting ability will be feared in the WTC final.
“We’ve seen his hitting ability through the IPLs. Not that that has a great deal of relevance, but he’s a very powerful unit. A very conventional hitter of the ball. Tall, big body position, and great hands that he can hit down the ground with. So he can be a threat,” said Hayden.
Stubbs has played 9 Test matches in his career so far and scored 500 runs at an average of 33.33 with two centuries and a fifty.
Leave a Reply