Labuschagne to partner with Khawaja as Australia’s openers in WTC final at Lord’s

Marnus Labuschagne moves up to open with Usman Khawaja for Australia in World Test Championship final at Lord's.

Marnus Labuschagne has moved one place up the batting order to open with Usman Khawaja for Australia in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's from Wednesday.

Labuschagne's place in the team was in doubt after a lean 2023-25 WTC cycle — average 28.33 runs — but he was given another shot on Tuesday by Australia's failure to find a permanent replacement at opener for David Warner, who retired from tests in January 2024. Labuschagne will open in a test for only the second time in nine years.

“It’s one spot up really. It’s not too different to batting three,” captain Pat Cummins said. ”Marnus has done well here at Lord’s (average 45.33) and in England in general (average 39.36).

“Opening the batting can be tough, but it can also be sometimes the best time to bat, before the Dukes ball actually starts swinging. There’s an opportunity to score there, so just keeping that ball in tow I think is going to mean something.” The 19-year-old specialist opener Sam Konstas was left out and Travis Head, preferred in Sri Lanka in February, will drop back to No. 5 in the order. Konstas was disappointed, Cummins said.

“Realistically, he’s really young, he’s got a long career ahead of him,” he added.

Fit-again Josh Hazlewood was picked ahead of the unlucky Scott Boland in the pace attack. Boland replaced an injured Hazlewood for the 2023 final and starred as Australia beat India by 209 runs at the Oval.

Nine of that 11 will play consecutive WTC finals.