Pacer Lungi Ngidi, who missed out on the home summer assignments due to a groin injury, joins fellow pacers Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson, Corbin Bosch, and Marco Jansen in a pace-heavy South African squad to take on Australia in the World Test Championships Final to be played in London from June 11.
With this being South Africa's first entry in the WTC finale, the national selectors have put their faith in the tried and tested, maintaining the core of the squad that has taken South Africa to their maiden WTC Final.
Ngidi, who has since fully recovered, has featured for South Africa in white-ball cricket earlier in 2025, and also featured in global T20 leagues.
Temba Bavuma will captain the squad in which the Proteas have largely kept faith in their trusted core, making only two changes to the 16-player squad that faced Pakistan. Youngster Kwena Maphaka misses out at the expense of the returning Ngidi, while top-order batter Matthew Breetzke also drops out.
Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, and Aiden Markram make up the top-order batting options, whereas rising stars Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, and Bavuma will hold the fort in the middle order. Kyle Verreynne will be an electric presence behind the stumps and lower down the order, and all-rounders Wiaan Mulder and Marco Jansen can also contribute with the bat.
While Mulder and Jansen will be joined by ace pacer Rabada, Ngidi, Paterson, and Bosch to frame up the fast-bowling lineup, Keshav Maharaj will form the spin resources alongside Senuran Muthusamy.
Head coach Shukri Conrad believed the outfit covered all bases for South Africa in English conditions.
“Firstly, I want to congratulate each of the players selected for this squad. It is a special moment for this group to contest the WTC Final. Over the past 18 months, we’ve worked hard to build a competitive red-ball unit, and this achievement reflects that progress."
“A key part of our success has been consistency in selection, and we’ve stuck with the core group of players who have been part of this WTC cycle. We’ve selected a balanced squad for the conditions we expect at Lord’s.”
South Africa Squad for WTC Final: Temba Bavuma (captain), Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, Kyle Verreynne, David Bedingham, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Senuran Muthusamy, Dane Paterson.
