South Africa captain Aiden Markram says his side can expect to have a target on their back when they begin a new cycle of the World Test Championship as defending champions.

Bangladesh are placed fifth, with just four points and a points percentage of 16.67%.

The seasoned England batter, featuring in his 69th Test, is now the leading run-getter in WTC history, having participated in all four editions of the tournament. 

Ben Stokes has again criticised over-rate rules after England were docked two World Test Championship points following last week's win against India.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has named England as hosts for the ICC World Test Championship final for the next three editions after its annual conference in Singapore held on Sunday.

Aiden Markram's pivotal all-round performance in the ICC World Test Championship Final against Australia at Lord’s has earned him the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for June 2025.

Can the perennial chokers defeat the ultimate champions? This was the question floating around before the World Test Championship (WTC) final between South Africa and Australia.

Australia could shake up their batting after crashing to South Africa in the World Test Championship final, with captain Pat Cummins saying a "reset" was needed ahead of three Tests in the West Indies and a home Ashes series.

The triumph sparked an outpouring of emotion and admiration from cricketing greats across generations, including Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar, who hailed the Proteas’ resilience and temperament in a high-pressure final.

Markram made his Test debut at age 22, heartbreakingly run out on 97, and has since scored eight centuries and 13 fifties. But his average of 36.50 has been below expectation.

Australia captain Pat Cummins said his side had been faced with a "bridge too far" after losing the World Test Championship final to South Africa at Lord's on Saturday.

When Temba Bavuma went out to bat on Day 3 of the ICC World Test Championship final against Australia on Friday, the odds were firmly against him and his side.

At 70/2 in the second session of the third day of the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025, Australia seemed to have advantage on a surface that had done quite a bit over the first two days of the Test.

Mitchell Starc made South Africa pay for a dropped catch with a vital fifty on Friday as Australia set the Proteas 282 to win the World Test Championship final at Lord's.

The defending champions already have a 218-run lead with two second innings wickets in hand and resume on Friday looking to add more to make South Africa’s task even harder.

Kagiso Rabada took five wickets as South Africa dismissed Australia for 212 after tea on Wednesday's opening day of the World Test Championship final at Lord's.

Former England captain Michael Atherton said "everyone knows the WTC in its present guise is flawed".

Australia quick Scott Boland has admitted he remains in the dark whether he will win a spot in the playing XI for his side's ICC World Test Championship defence against South Africa at Lord's next week.

Green was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his lower back during the one-day international series in England last year and had surgery in October but returned playing for Gloucestershire in English county cricket last month.

After having finished bottom of the pile in the first two Test Championship cycles, Bangladesh will spare themselves the ignominy in the current World Test Championship cycle, a fact confirmed following Pakistan’s five-point penalty by the ICC.