Australia batter Steve Smith scored 66 off 110 balls on Day 1 of the WTC final against South Africa to become the overseas batter with the most runs at Lord’s.
The World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 at Lord’s is not only a testament for global supremacy in Test cricket but also serves as the stage for one of the most iconic moments in modern cricket history. Amid high-octane competition between Australia and South Africa, Steve Smith, the master of red-ball batting, has etched his name in history books yet again. On June 11, on Day 1 of the WTC final, he displayed grit, patience, and class to break a long-standing Test cricket record, re-iterating his legacy as one of the greatest Test batters of all time. He went on to create new test record and overtook cricketing legends in terms of runs made.
Having retired from ODI format earlier this year, his sole focus now is on the red-ball format. As the cricketing world gathered to witness the mega ICC event, Steve Smith reached a monumental milestone that had seemed out of reach for most cricketers of his generation. His knock not only played a vital role in Australia’s score at the WTC Final but also made the experts enter his name in the record books, inspiring a new breed of cricketers to uphold the purity of Test cricket. When bowlers of both Australia and South Africa picked up 14 wickets collectively on Day 1 of the final at Lord’s, Steve Smith stood firm with the bat. It was business as usual for the former Australia captain. The fall of wickets from the other end didn’t waiver Smith’s confidence, as he put his head high to provide Australia bowlers with a score that they could defend.
The 36-year-old scored 66 runs off 112 balls, which included 10 boundaries after coming in to bat at a crunch situation of 16 for 2. In the batting process, Smith surpassed legends like Don Bradman, Garfield Sobers and Warren Bardsley to set up a memorable record.
- To show his fondness towards Lord’s, a ground he thrives batting on, Smith became the overseas batter with the highest number of runs at the iconic venue.
- Smith now has 591 runs in the six matches played, out of which he has featured in 10 innings at the Lord’s.
- The right-hand batter has a remarkable average of 59.10 at Lord’s with the help of three fifties and two centuries. His highest score at the OG home of cricket is 215.
When he out to bat on, he was fourth on the list of highest run-scorers at Lord’s (among overseas batters). But by the time he was dismissed, he rose to the top of the list, overtaking Australia’s Warren Bardsley (575 runs in 5 matches), West Indies’ Garfield Sobers (571 runs in 5 matches), and Australia’s Don Bradman (551 runs in 4 matches). This feat. created history that nobody saw coming, let alone Steve Smith.
- He surpassed Australian legend Warren Bardsley to top the list, which speaks volumes of his calibre as a batsman. His record at the iconic venue includes three fifties and two centuries, with a career-best 215 during the 2015 Ashes.
List of Top Run-Scorers (Overseas Batsmen) at Lord’s
- Steve Smith (Australia): 591 runs in 10 innings
- Warren Bardsley (Australia): 575 runs in 7 innings
- Garry Sobers (West Indies): 571 runs in 9 innings
- Don Bradman (Australia): 551 runs in 8 innings
- Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies): 512 runs in 9 innings
Smith Overtakes Sachin Tendulkar
During the WTC 2025 final match, Steve Smith also created another record. He overtook the master blaster and legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, to climb up to the second spot amongst batters with the highest number of fifty-plus scores in ICC tournament knockout matches.
This was Smith’s seventh fifty-plus score in an ICC event knockout match, overtaking the ‘God’ Tendulkar, who from 15 matches has scored 682 runs at an average of 48.71, with a century and five fifties.
- India’s Virat Kohli however remains the undisputed king of ICC knockout matches, being the only player to have made 1,000 runs in such matches. He has made 1,024 runs in 22 matches and 24 innings at an average of 51.20.
- With one century and nine fifties and a personal best score of 117 against New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semifinal, his records remain unattainable as of now.
- Steve Smith may need more matches with solid performances to surpass this record, considering Virat Kohli has now retired from test cricket.
Most WTC Final Appearances
In the long list of accomplishments and records created on the first day of WTC 2025 final match, another interesting feather was added to his cap.
- Steve Smith has equalled Australian great and former captain Ricky Ponting’s record for the most ICC tournament final appearances, reaching his sixth final.
- Smith’s ICC final appearances include the 2010 T20 World Cup, 2015 ODI World Cup, 2021 T20 World Cup, 2023 World Test Championship, 2023 ODI World Cup, and the ongoing 2025 WTC Final.
- Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma lead the list with nine appearances each, followed by Ravindra Jadeja with eight and Yuvraj Singh with seven. Smith, a former leg-spinner turned elite batter, has won four of his five previous ICC finals.
Steve Smith’s historic innings at the World Test Championship Final 2025 will be remembered as a defining moment in cricket history. In a game that demanded mental strength, technical excellence, and unwavering focus, Smith delivered on all fronts. Breaking records, winning matches, and inspiring millions—Smith has done it all at the biggest stage of Test cricket.
Steve Smith stood tall as a pillar and true custodian of Test cricket’s glorious traditions. His performance at Lord’s wasn’t just a batting masterclass; it was a legacy-defining epic. In years to come, cricket fans will remember the 2025 WTC Final not only for Australia’s known rivalry but more so for the day Steve Smith created history under the Lord’s sunshine.
FAQs on ICC WTC 2025
1) Which countries are playing WTC 2025 final?
The World Test Championship final 2025 is being held at Lord’s ground from June 11-15, between defending champions Australia and South Africa.
2) Which country has won WTC final previously?
In the previous two editions of World Test Championship, the two finals were won by New Zealand and Australia in 2021 and 2023 respectively.
3) Who is the captain of Australia in WTC 2025 final?
In the ICC World Test Championship 2025 final, Australian team is being led by Pat Cummins while the South African team has Temba Bavuma as its captain.
