logo
Steve Smith Slams Fifty In WTC Final 2025: 7 Times He Scored 50-Plus Scores In Knockout Matches

Steve Smith Slams Fifty In WTC Final 2025: 7 Times He Scored 50-Plus Scores In Knockout Matches

India.com11-06-2025

photoDetails english 2914594 https://zeenews.india.com/photos/sports/steve-smith-slams-fifty-in-wtc-final-2025-7-times-he-scored-50-plus-scores-in-knockout-matches-2914608 Updated:Jun 11, 2025, 09:54 PM IST 65 (69) vs Pakistan – Quarterfinal, ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
1 / 8
Smith set the tone in the 2015 World Cup knockout stages with a composed 65 against a potent Pakistan bowling attack. His innings helped Australia chase down the target comfortably and move into the semi-finals. 105 (93) vs India – Semifinal, ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
2 / 8
In one of his most memorable ODI knocks, Smith hammered a classy century against India at the SCG. His aggressive yet elegant innings powered Australia to a dominant total and a place in the final. 56 (71) vs New Zealand – Final, ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
3 / 8
Smith finished the tournament in style, scoring an unbeaten 56 and guiding Australia to their fifth World Cup title in a dominant performance at the MCG. 85 (119) vs England – Semifinal, ICC Cricket World Cup 2019
4 / 8
Against the host nation, Smith stood tall with a gritty 85. Despite the lack of support from the other end, he ensured Australia posted a fighting total in a high-pressure game. 121 (268) & 34 (47) vs India – Final, ICC World Test Championship 2023
5 / 8
Smith was a rock in the WTC 2023 Final, scoring a masterful 121 in the first innings and a crucial 34 in the second. His contributions laid the foundation for Australia's championship-winning triumph. 73 (96) vs India – Semifinal, ICC Champions Trophy 2025
6 / 8
In the high-octane Champions Trophy semifinal, Smith struck a solid 73 under pressure, guiding Australia to a competitive total, but it was not enough for the team to reach the finals. 66 (112) vs South Africa – Final, ICC World Test Championship 2025
7 / 8
Smith's latest knockout gem came in the WTC 2025 final against South Africa. His 66-run effort, marked by patience and class, rescued Australia from a top-order collapse and broke multiple records at Lord's.
8 / 8
ALL IMAGES CREDIT:- X, ICC

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Sourav Ganguly reveals why Rohit Sharma was reluctant to become Test captain after Virat Kohli; how he changed his mind
Sourav Ganguly reveals why Rohit Sharma was reluctant to become Test captain after Virat Kohli; how he changed his mind

First Post

time35 minutes ago

  • First Post

Sourav Ganguly reveals why Rohit Sharma was reluctant to become Test captain after Virat Kohli; how he changed his mind

Former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has revealed how Rohit Sharma was convinced to take over India's Test captaincy after Virat Kohli stepped down. Ganguly shared details of Rohit's initial hesitation and how a conversation changed his mind. read more Former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has shared some interesting insights into how Rohit Sharma became India's Test captain after Virat Kohli stepped down. Rohit was appointed the captain of Team India across formats after Kohli gave up the role in 2021–22, following a difficult period in which India lost to Pakistan for the first time in a World Cup match and were defeated by South Africa in a Test series. Speaking to PTI, Ganguly explained how Rohit was initially hesitant about taking the responsibility but eventually agreed after some convincing. Ganguly was at the top post of Indian cricket at the time and played a role in convincing Rohit for the job. Ganguly revealed that Rohit didn't want to take up Test captaincy because of the workload management. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We always wanted Virat to be captain, but he did not want to continue. And that's what it was. And then obviously Rohit came in, he was captaining Mumbai Indians. He was captaining 50-over, T20. We needed a test captain because Virat Kohli was Test captain by then and he finished in South Africa. I always believed that Rohit was a very good captain. So obviously, the request from the board, I went to him that you know you should captain in test matches. He was reluctant because of workload,' Ganguly told PTI. Here's how Ganguly convinced Rohit Ganguly said that he had a personal conversation with Rohit about how he shouldn't end his Test career without captaining India. 'But then I remember having a conversation with him that, you don't want to finish your career without captaining Indian test matches. So that struck a chord with him, and then he took a couple of days and then he agreed. He's a very adjustable person, very friendly person, if you have conversations with him, he'll agree and accept and do things. And why wouldn't anybody want to be in this test game?,' he added. Rohit took over the Test captaincy in 2022 and led India in multiple series, including the 2023 World Test Championship final, where they lost to eventual winners Australia. In the 2023–25 WTC cycle, Rohit led the team brilliantly before a slump in the latter stages, with back-to-back losses against New Zealand and Australia. India also suffered their first-ever home Test series defeat to the Kiwis. After their loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, India failed to qualify for the WTC final. Rohit announced his retirement from the longest format last month, days before the BCCI unveiled the squad for the England series in the new WTC cycle. Kohli also stepped down a few days later, announcing his retirement on social media. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

"I haven't seen any of that": Hazlewood responds to Mitchell Johnson's harsh criticism after WTC loss
"I haven't seen any of that": Hazlewood responds to Mitchell Johnson's harsh criticism after WTC loss

India Gazette

time36 minutes ago

  • India Gazette

"I haven't seen any of that": Hazlewood responds to Mitchell Johnson's harsh criticism after WTC loss

New Delhi [India] June 23 (ANI): Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood and spinner Nathan Lyon responded to ex Aussie pacer Mitchell Johnson's harsh criticism of the team's bowling attack following their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) loss and Hazlewood defended his move to play in the Indian Premier Leagur (IPL) days before the marquee clash against South Africa. After Australia's five-wicket defeat to South Africa in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, earlier in this month, former Australian veteran seamer Johnson used his column in The West Australian newspaper to question Aussie fast bowler Josh Hazlewood and spinner Nathan Lyon. South Africa has won its first-ever world title in international cricket. This is also the country's second ICC trophy after the ICC Knockout 1998. Also, Australia skipper Pat Cummins' golden run as a captain, which started with the retention of the Ashes series against England and was followed by an incredible WTC mace and 50-over World Cup wins over India, came to a halt. 'We've seen concerns about Hazlewood's fitness in recent years, and his decision to prioritise returning to the delayed Indian Premier League over his national team preparations raised eyebrows,' Johnson wrote in The West Australian. 'Lyon didn't look his best on day three either,' Mitchell Johnson had written, as quoted from the Sydney Morning Herald. 'Our successful 'big four' bowling attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon can't be taken for granted as a lock going forward either,' he added. Johnson felt that if veteran players stick around just for the Ashes (happening later this year from November) as a send-off, it does beg the question of whether that's the right mindset. 'If veteran players are sticking around just for the Ashes as a send-off, it does beg the question of whether that's the right mindset. It's crucial that we embrace the future and build confidence in selecting our next Test players.'I'm not being overly critical of an ageing team which has achieved plenty together ... but it's essential to consider when the right time is to make some tough calls,' he added. Hazlewood, who was managing a minor shoulder injury before the IPL was postponed, chose to return to India and resume commitments for Royal Challengers Bengaluru instead of heading straight to London before the WTC final. Speaking as quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald, Hazlewood said he hasn't seen any of Johnson's column, and said IPL was the best place to get ready for any type of cricket that is coming up. 'I haven't seen any of that, to be honest,' Hazlewood told the newspaper when asked about Johnson's column ahead of Australia's opening Test against the West Indies on Wednesday. 'We know what's going on in inside our rooms. It seemed far and away the best place to get ready for any type of cricket that was coming up. The weather was definitely a factor as well. Just getting over there and playing intense competition like that, it's hard to replicate in training,' he added. Hazlewood told about his preparation before the WTC Final. He said it was raining in Sydney, and Brisbane was very wet; he felt India was the best place to bowl. 'Sydney, it was raining, and I had literally nowhere to bowl. I got to Brisbane for three or four days, and it was very wet. We were lucky to get on. I just thought the best place to bowl was India. We were still in the competition, we were going to play semis (in IPL), and I was going to be there for 10 days.' Hazlewood believed he's bowling well in all the three formats, and he is relaxed at the moment about his cricket. 'I mean, if you look at the numbers, it probably suggests so as well,' Hazlewood said. 'I feel quite relaxed at the moment about my cricket. The ball is coming out nicely in all the formats. I feel like I'm adjusting and hitting good lengths,' Hazlewood added. Lyon, Australia's most successful off-spinner, went wicketless in the WTC finals at the Home of Cricket, Lord's. He emphasised that the team's positions are not guaranteed and that the competition among players is high, with younger players challenging the senior players. 'Regarding 'Johnno', there's nothing really to be said there. We never take any of our positions for granted. There's that much competition within the squad ... and guys putting the senior players under pressure,' Nathan Lyon said. He said no one is planning for a farewell match or tour; all the players are playing for he betterment of Australian cricket and to win matches. 'There's no one planning a farewell tour or anything like that. I don't see there's a reason why the guys can't keep going for a number of years. They're only doing that for the betterment of Australian cricket. We want to play in games, we want to win games.' Lyon admitted that the loss to South Africa in the WTC finals still stings, despite their pride in reaching the final. He acknowledged they were outplayed and that it was a tough loss to accept. 'That [loss to South Africa] does still sting a fair bit, to be honest with you. We're really proud of the last two years that we've had to reach the final. Everyone says how hard finals are to reach, but we got outplayed. And that's a disappointing part of it. A tough pill to swallow,' Lyon added. Australia will be touring the West Indies from June 25 onwards. The first Test of the three-match series will be held in Barbados. It will mark the start of Australia's ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle after its loss to South Africa in the final of the 2023-25 WTC cycle. (ANI)

Tightening defence key for India moving forward
Tightening defence key for India moving forward

Hindustan Times

time43 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Tightening defence key for India moving forward

Harmanpreet Singh could finally afford a smile as his 59th minute penalty stroke handed the Indian men's hockey team a 4-3 win against hosts Belgium in Antwerp late on Sunday, ending a seven-match losing streak. After winning five games and losing three in eight home games earlier, the Paris Olympics bronze medallists lost seven and won just one in the eight away games. (Hockey India) India had travelled to Europe late in May placed third in the FIH Pro League with a very good chance of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup — champions qualify for World Cup/Olympics. With Netherlands and Belgium having qualified as hosts and Australia making the cut as last edition's winners, the Harmanpreet-led outfit had a solid chance of heading straight to Amstelveen and Wavre by just finishing fourth if not higher. But bad luck in addition to last-minute nerves resulted in India's worst campaign in Pro League history, finishing 8th in the elite nine-team league, just about escaping the ignominy of relegation into the Nations Cup. After winning five games and losing three in eight home games earlier, the Paris Olympics bronze medallists lost seven and won just one in the eight away games. It wasn't as if Indian forwards or the penalty corner (PC) battery didn't score or convert their chances. Strikers Abhishek (6), Mandeep Singh (4), Sukhjeet Singh (5) and Dilpreet (3) were regularly among goals. Skipper Harmanpreet, as always, was a great threat and finished with 6 goals. In four of the seven losses, India led the opposition. Against Australia, they were 2-0 ahead. But what failed them was the defence, especially in the dying minutes despite the presence of seasoned campaigners like Harmanpreet, Amit Rohidas, Sumit among others. An Achilles heel of old, India had looked to end the trend of giving away last-minute goals in the last Olympic cycle with chief coach Craig Fulton's 'defend to win' approach. But, ironically, it was the backline that faltered again. In the seven away games India lost, the Fulton-coached side lost the game in the last quarter in six of them out of which four defeats came in the last five minutes. 'India was one of the most unlucky teams. They played pretty well barring the last minute goals where matches are very close,' Belgium head coach Shane McLeod said from Antwerp. 'But let's not forget that India have a gift — they play really well in tournaments of consequence like Olympics, Asia Cup, Asian Games. I also expect them to do well at the World Cup. 'I understand everyone wants results but with the development of the team, both can't happen at the same time always. A lot also depends on the nature of the opposition and the stage of their development. Games open up as they progress. They will just need to be more focused (in the last few minutes). I am sure they will learn from this and defend well in future,' added McLeod, who led Belgium to the 2018 World Cup and 2021 Olympic titles. Having missed this opportunity, it will be all to play for at the Asia Cup that will be held in Rajgir, Bihar, in August-September with the winner qualifying for the World Cup. Though India are undisputed kings of Asia — they are the holders of Asian Games and Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) — it isn't going to be a cakewalk for the Harmanpreet led team which was given a tough fight by both Malaysia and China in the finals of the last two ACTs. 'The results have not gone as planned and it's not that we have played badly. It hurts more when you play well but do not convert that into desired result,' India vice-captain Hardik Singh said from Antwerp. 'This is something we will introspect on. Our focus will be on finishing well, ensuring tighter defence and creating chances to score.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store