London [UK], June 11 : South Africa captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bowl against the defending champions Australia under the gloomy sky of London's iconic venue, Lord's, in the World Test Championship final on Wednesday.
It has been a year where jinxes have been broken across different sports. Bologna lifted the title for the first time in 51 years, while Newcastle United ended the drought after 56 years. Tottenham Hotspur lifted the Europa League for the first time in decades, and Paris Saint-Germain got their hands on the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history. In cricket, Royal Challengers Bengaluru's 18-year-long wait ended after they trounced Punjab Kings to lift their first IPL trophy.
South Africa, still waiting for its first ICC title since 1998, has the opportunity to trounce the defending champions Australia and end their years of agony, which saw them falter on numerous occasions in the knockout stages. They have been surrounded by criticism stemming from the number of matches they played to finish at the top of the standings and earn the right to fight for the WTC mace.
On the other hand, Australia has been a dominant force en route to defending its title. They left India bamboozled in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade to qualify for the final. Josh Hazlewood is fit and running to join yet another final with hopes of maintaining his flawless streak. The Baggy Greens have been deemed the on-paper favourites to defend their title, but spirited South Africa is looking to rob them of the opportunity.
After winning the toss, South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said, "Will have a bowl first looking at the overhead conditions. Too late to change the team, we have selected the best combination. All 15 of us are confident. It is a massive final, it should be a spectacle out here."
Australia skipper Pat Cummins was happy to bat and said during the time of the toss, "Happy to bat first. Looks like a good wicket with a few clouds. Prep wise it has been unreal, 15 guys working very hard for that title. You get used to it the more you are playing, we have had about 10 days prep and we are ready. Doesn't feel like any extra pressure. WE've been here before and we've won it. This week is all about enjoying the moment."
South Africa (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma(c), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
Australia (Playing XI): Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
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