Ahead of Australia’s ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final clash against South Africa, pacer Mitchell Starc shared that the opportunity to defend the mace successfully at Lord’s would be truly special and a “huge reward” for the team’s consistent hard work over the years.
Australia will aim to go back-to-back by defending their WTC title and further adding to their illustrious cricketing history. Meanwhile, South Africa will be eyeing their maiden major ICC trophy as the two sides gear up for the ‘Ultimate Test’ at Lord’s, starting Wednesday.
Speaking to Star Sports, Starc said, “It’s a chance to go back-to-back. The World Test Championship might still be a relatively new format, but for us, it has been a significant journey. We missed out on the final in the first cycle, and were fortunate to win it the second time around.
Now, with a core group of players from the 2023 final still together, to have this opportunity again and at Lord’s is really special. Winning the Mace for a second time would be a huge reward for everything this group has worked towards over the years.”
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The 2020s have been a golden decade for Australia. They clinched the T20 World Cup in 2021, the WTC title in 2023, retained the Ashes against England, and won the ICC Cricket World Cup by defeating a dominant Indian side – showcasing dominance across all formats. Except for the 2021 T20 World Cup, all these triumphs have come under captain Pat Cummins.
On the other hand, speaking on Star Sports, South Africa’s pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada highlighted their tactical preparations and the unpredictability of playing at a neutral venue.
“It’s a completely neutral venue, so it’s hard to predict what might happen. But when you’re up against the best players in these conditions, dismissing them becomes the main focus,” Rabada explained. “You want to get every batter out. I suppose I’ve just had the upper hand so far. We’ve made specific plans for each of their batsmen, but in the end, it’s about keeping things simple – that’s what this game boils down to,” he added.
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