Steve Smith Lights Up Lord's in WTC Final 2025

Australian batting maestro Steve Smith illuminated the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 against South Africa at Lord’s, delivering a stellar 66-run knock off 112 balls, studded with 10 fours, while achieving a series of historic milestones on Day 1. His resilient innings helped Australia recover from a precarious 67/4 to post 212, despite a fiery South African bowling attack led by Kagiso Rabada’s five-wicket haul.

Australia were in a tight spot at 67/4 after South Africa chose to bowl first, with Kagiso Rabada tearing through their top order with a fiery five-wicket haul. But Smith, calm under pressure, teamed up with Beau Webster, who scored a solid 72, to stitch together a game-changing 79-run partnership. Their effort lifted Australia to 212 all out. South Africa struggled in reply, stumbling to 43/4 by stumps, still 169 runs behind.

Smith’s innings wasn’t just about steadying the ship—it was historic. His 50 in the final marked his seventh fifty-plus score in ICC knockout matches, nudging him past Sachin Tendulkar’s six. Only Virat Kohli, with 1,024 runs in 22 ICC knockout games, has more. At Lord’s, Smith overtook Warren Bardsley to become the top run-scorer among visiting batters, piling up 592 runs with three fifties and two centuries, including a massive 215 in the 2015 Ashes. That put him ahead of icons like Don Bradman and Garfield Sobers.

He also outdid Ajinkya Rahane to claim the most runs in WTC finals, with his second fifty-plus score in the format coming off just 74 balls. Plus, his 18 fifty-plus scores in Tests on English soil are more than legends like Allan Border or Vivian Richards.

Also Read: RCB Owners Address Sale Rumors After Winning First-Ever IPL Title

South Africa’s Aiden Markram eventually got Smith out with his part-time spin, caught by Marco Jansen. As Australia push to defend their WTC crown, Smith’s record-breaking day and his knack for shining at Lord’s have set up a thrilling contest.