SA vs AUS: Can South Africa Claim Victory In WTC Final While Chasing? What Do The Records Say?

SA vs AUS WTC Final: The 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord's is delicately poised after two action-packed days, dominated by relentless pace bowling. As things stand, Australia hold a 218-run lead with two wickets in hand in their second innings, ending Day 2 at 144/8.

With 28 wickets falling in just two days - 14 of them on Friday alone - the surface is proving a nightmare for batters, and a paradise for seamers.

Australia's captain Pat Cummins was the star of the day, dismantling South Africa's lower order to finish with exceptional figures of 6/28. The effort not only helped restrict South Africa to just 138 but also saw Cummins reach the historic 300-wicket milestone in Test cricket - becoming the eighth Australian and 40th bowler overall to do so.

However, the Proteas were far from out of the contest. Kagiso Rabada continued his hostile form from the first innings, removing Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green early in Australia's second dig. With help from Lungi Ngidi, who dismissed key batters including Steve Smith and Pat Cummins, South Africa pulled things back significantly.

Now, with a potentially tricky target looming, the big question is: Can South Africa chase it down and win their first WTC title?

History suggests it's a steep challenge. In both previous WTC finals, the chasing teams have faltered. In 2021, India were bowled out while chasing 139 against New Zealand. In 2023, India again failed to hunt down a fourth-innings target of 444 set by Australia at The Oval.

This time, South Africa will enter uncharted waters. However, the belief is strong.

Still, chasing on a deteriorating Lord's pitch - with Australia's world-class pace attack and the psychological burden of WTC history - will demand a near-perfect batting performance. While the odds are stacked against them, South Africa's spirited fightback with the ball shows they aren't ready to roll over.

Day 3 could very well decide if South Africa can break the chasing curse in WTC finals - or become its latest victim.