Defending champions Australia have made a disastrous start to the WTC 2025 Final against South Africa at Lord’s on Wednesday. After being asked to bat first on the opening day the Australians went into lunch on Day 1 at 67 for 4 with their top order in shambles. Aussie opener Usman Khawaja created an unwanted record on the opening day of the third WTC final as well. Khawaja recorded the joint third-longest duck by any batter before edging Kagiso Rabada to David Bedingham in first slip in the 7th over of the match. The Aussie southpaw faced 20 balls without opening his account. The other three openers on this list are David Warner (22 balls) Shaun Marsh (21 balls) and Sammy Jones (20 balls). Rabada made it a double-wicket over when he dismissed number 3 batter Cameron Green for 4 caught at second slip by Aiden Markram.   The pressure pays off! 🤩#KagisoRabada strikes twice to spice things up early on in the ICC #WTC25 Final! 💪 LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/9lZGHcdMLn #WTCFinal | #SAvAUS Day 1 watch LIVE on Star Sports 1 Star Sports 1 Hindi & JioHotstar pic.twitter.com/U32yfDIWEQ — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 11 2025 Make-shift opener Marnus Labuschagne tried to stem the rot with former skipper Steve Smith by putting on 30 runs for the third wicket. But Labuschagne fell caught behind to Marco Jansen after a scratchy 17 off 56 balls with one boundary to his name. South Africa got the massive wicket of Travis Head at the stroke of lunch on the opening day. Head was disappointingly tickling a Jansen delivery down the leg-side and was smartly caught by wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne. Head’s dismissal for 11 meant both Jansen and Rabada have a couple of wickets each as Pat Cummins-led side are 67 for the loss of 4 wickets in the 24th over. Smith is holding fort with 26 off 51 balls with 5 boundaries. Earlier South Africa captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bowl against the defending champions Australia under the gloomy sky at the venue in the WTC final. After winning the toss South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said “We will have a bowl first looking at the overhead conditions. Too late to change the team; we have selected the best combination. All 15 of us are confident. It is a massive final; it should be a spectacle out here.” Australia skipper Pat Cummins was happy to bat and said during the time of the toss “Happy to bat first. Looks like a good wicket with a few clouds. Prep wise it has been unreal 15 guys working very hard for that title. You get used to it the more you are playing we have had about 10 days prep and we are ready. It doesn’t feel like any extra pressure. We’ve been here before and weve won it. This week is all about enjoying the moment.”