While Australia’s ICC World Test Championship (WTC) title defence against South Africa is nearing, two of the team’s brightest talent in the current cycle, captain Pat Cummins and opener Usman Khawaja have significant milestone to pursue. Australia will look to become the first-ever team to defend their ICC WTC mace when they meet Proteas in the ‘Ultimate Test’ from June 11 at Lord’s. If Australia are to win the match with their hands on the gleaming mace still in place, they would require opener Khawaja to provide them with rock-solid initiations and Cummins to claim big wickets to get a strong SA batting lineup headed by skipper Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, etc, out of the game.
Khawaja Nears 6,000 Test Runs Milestone
Usman Khawaja, the leading run-scorer for Australia in the current cycle with 1,422 runs from 19 Tests and 37 innings at an average of 41.82, with two centuries and six half-centuries, requires only 70 runs to reach the 6,000 run barrier in the longer game.
Khawaja has so far scored 5,930 runs in 80 Tests at 45.61 with 16 centuries and 27 half-centuries in 144 innings and the top score of 232. Khawaja is the 16th highest run-scorer for Australia.
In all of the WTC seasons since 2019 onwards, Khawaja is the fifth-highest overall run-getter and Australia’s third-best batsman behind Marnus Labuschagne (4,186 runs from 52 Tests with 11 hundred and 22 fifties) and Steve Smith (4,072 runs in 52 Tests with 13 centuries and 17 fifties).
Khawaja has scored 3,165 runs in 39 Tests of his WTC career at an average of 48.69, with eight centuries and 13 fifties to his credit. His highest score is 232.
Cummins Chases 300 Wickets Landmark
Also, skipper Cummins is now only six wickets away from 300 Test wickets, he would be the eighth Aussie bowler and sixth pacer from his country to achieve this feat. In 67 Tests played till date, he has picked up 294 wickets at an average of 22.43, with best of 6/23. He has also picked a combined total of 13 five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket hauls.
In the current cycle, he has collected a whopping 73 wickets in 17 Tests at an average of just over 24, with best figures of 6/91 and five five-wicket returns, just behind India’s Jasprit Bumrah (77 wickets in 15 Tests at an average of 15.09).
In all WTC series since 2019, Cummins has been the second-most wicket-taker, with 200 wickets at 22.63, best figures of 6/91 and nine five-fors. He is behind spinner Nathan Lyon (210 wickets in 50 Tests at 26.85).
Australia Squad for WTC Final at Lord’s
Australia team for WTC final: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, Matt Kuhnemann. Reserve to travel: Brendan Doggett.
