Steve Smith isn’t buying into the hype around Australia’s chances. The veteran batsman thinks everyone’s making a big mistake here. South Africa didn’t just stumble into this WTC Final by luck.
The bookmakers might favor Australia, but Smith remembers upsets happen all the time. Cricket has a funny way of humbling teams that get too confident. He’s seen it happen before in big matches like this.
Lord’s will host this massive showdown between the two teams soon. Australia lifted the trophy there against India two years back. But Smith knows past victories don’t guarantee future success at all.
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Rabada and Jansen Could Wreck Australia’s Plans
Smith keeps talking about two names that worry him the most. Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen have been absolute nightmares for batsmen lately. These guys know how to take wickets when it matters.
“South Africa has a particularly good bowling attack led by Kagiso Rabada, his record speaks for itself. Marco Jansen — they are a good side, they are here for a reason,” Smith said.
Rabada has 327 Test wickets already with a 22-run average. That’s seriously impressive numbers for any fast bowler in world cricket. He gets dangerous when the pressure builds up in matches.
Jansen might be newer but he’s equally scary with the ball. The left-arm pacer has grabbed 73 wickets in just 17 Tests. His average of 21.76 shows he strikes early and often.
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Lord’s Holds Special Memories for Smith
The famous old ground brings back good memories for Smith personally. He’s made 525 runs there across 5 Test matches played. Two centuries at Lord’s prove he enjoys batting on this pitch.
His 58.33 average there gives him confidence going into this final. Smith understands how the slope affects the ball’s movement here. Weather changes everything about how the pitch plays too.
Smith faced both of these bowlers before in different series matches. He knows firsthand how they can turn games around quickly. Their pace and accuracy make life tough for any batting lineup.
Australia Carries Championship Pressure
Being defending champions adds extra weight on Australian shoulders now. Everyone expects them to repeat their 2023 success against India. Smith feels that pressure but tries to stay focused on cricket.
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The old tensions with South Africa have cooled down completely. That 2018 sandpaper incident feels like ancient history between both teams. Players just want to play good cricket now.
Smith wishes they could play three matches instead of one. But cricket’s packed schedule makes longer finals almost impossible these days.
