In a commanding display of pace bowling during the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final against South Africa at Lord’s, Pat Cummins has not only spearheaded Australia’s attack but also etched his name into the record books.
On the second day of play, Cummins significantly extended his wicket tally, reaching 78 wickets in the WTC 2023-25 cycle. This achievement surpasses Jasprit Bumrah’s previous count of 77 wickets, positioning Cummins as the leading wicket-taker in the current WTC cycle. Furthermore, he now holds the distinction for the most wickets taken by a fast bowler within a single WTC cycle.
Cummins initiated his wicket-taking spree on Wednesday by dismissing Wiaan Mulder for 6 runs. He then added four more scalps to his impressive count on Thursday. His morning session saw him remove Temba Bavuma for 36 runs, followed by a double strike in a single over, claiming the wickets of Kyle Verreynne and Marco Jansen. Verreynne was trapped plumb in front of the wicket, while Cummins completed a sharp catch off his own bowling to dismiss Jansen, who failed to get off the mark after facing three deliveries.
To complete his five-wicket haul, Cummins skillfully removed David Bedingham, who was caught by Alex Carey after contributing 45 runs. This five-wicket haul in the 2025 WTC final marks Cummins’ sixth fifer in the ongoing WTC cycle, a remarkable feat that puts him one ahead of Noman Ali of Pakistan, and India’s Jasprit Bumrah and R. Ashwin, who each have five five-wicket hauls.
Well played, Pat Cummins!
