Injuries, Bans & Comebacks: South Africa’s WTC Final Squad Raises Eyebrows

May 13, 2025: Cricket South Africa (CSA) has unveiled its 15-member squad for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, scheduled to be held from June 11 to 15 at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London. Temba Bavuma will lead the Proteas in their first-ever WTC final, marking a major milestone for South African red-ball cricket.

Rabada Returns, Ngidi Recovered

The big headline is the return of pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada, who comes back into the squad after serving a one-month suspension due to a positive dope test. Joining him in the pace attack is Lungi Ngidi, who has made a successful recovery from injury.

Also Read: WTC Final Squad Announced as Australia Prepares for Battle While IPL 2025 Hangs in Limbo

South Africa’s pace-heavy squad also includes Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, and Wiaan Mulder, with Kwena Maphaka missing out to make room for Ngidi.

CSA Head Coach Backs Balanced Squad

Head coach Shukri Conrad expressed confidence in the squad, saying it’s been built on consistency and balance tailored for English conditions.

“Over the past 18 months, we’ve worked hard to build a competitive red-ball unit, and this achievement reflects that progress,” said Conrad. “We’ve stuck with the core group who have been part of this WTC cycle.”

South Africa’s WTC Journey

South Africa topped the WTC standings with a points percentage (PCT) of 69.44, having won 8 out of 12 matches in the 2023–25 cycle. Australia finished second with a 67.54 PCT.

South Africa Squad for WTC Final 2025:

Temba Bavuma (c), Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi, Tony de Zorzi, David Bedingham, Keshav Maharaj, Tristan Stubbs, Corbin Bosch, Senuran Muthusamy, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Kyle Verreynne, Dane Paterson, Wiaan Mulder, Ryan Rickelton.