Smith Confirmed to Bat at Number Four in WTC Final

Australian skipper Pat Cummins announced on Wednesday that Steve Smith will bat at the number four position for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa, set to commence on June 11 at Lord’s.

During a recent interview, the right-arm fast bowler addressed inquiries regarding Australia’s batting lineup, specifically the batting order.

Cummins stated he would only reveal Smith’s position, confirming that the 36-year-old will bat at number four in the crucial match.

“I can confirm that Smudge will be batting at four. Everyone else, I’m not willing to, but I can confirm Steve Smith will be number four.”

Smith has an impressive Test record at number four, having amassed 6531 runs in 120 innings with an average of 61.61, including 23 centuries and 26 half-centuries.

The right-handed batsman also played a significant role in Australia’s WTC victory in 2023, where his first-innings century paved the way for a dominant win.

The upcoming WTC final presents an exciting opportunity for Australia to become the first team to successfully defend the title since the league’s inception in 2019, and captain Pat Cummins is eager to make history at Lord’s.

“After winning (in) 2023, there’s a lot of talk of trying to retain it. Go and defend it. It’s not tangible until you actually make the final.

“Now that we’ve made it, it’ll be pretty cool to win another ICC trophy. Playing at Lord’s, it’s a tournament that every other Test playing nation is vying for so, it just signifies a pretty good couple of years.”