Bavuma names competitor XI for WTC final

Proteas captain, Temba Bavuma, will be playing XI for the ICC World Test Championship Final against Australia starting on Wednesday.

Bavuma headlines a well-rounded lineup that offers the first-time WTC Finalists multiple options in all departments of the game.

At the top of the order is Ryan Rickelton, who has been South Africa’s top-scorer in the WTC 2023/25 cycle, alongside Bavuma – not too far behind in the scoring charts, Aiden Markram, and Tristan Stubbs.

South Africa playing XI: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.

A notable decision is to stick with Wiaan Mulder at No.3 after he was used at that position during South Africa’s recent Tests against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

“Mulder is quite young in that position. But I think having played with Mulder, having seen him and the way he has grown in the last two years within the red-ball format,” Bavuma said when announcing the news.

“It’s about giving him a lot more confidence, keep backing him and just allowing him to do what he does best. He has an opportunity in a pressure situation, but I think he can take comfort from the fact that the guys are backing him. We just want him to play his game.”

While Keshav Maharaj is the solitary full-time spinner, the bowling lineup also features Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen alongside Lungi Ngidi.

The two teams will collide in the much-awaited contest starting on June 11 at the Lord’s Cricket Ground. Written by Ntsako Mkhari