- June 11, 2025
To cricket fans everywhere, the countdown to the 2025 ICC World Test Championship final at Lord’s has begun, and focus is centered on two likely opponents — Kagiso Rabada and Josh Hazlewood. While Rabada and Hazlewood have both been excellent workhorses for their respective countries, the good news is that, aside from having both played 70 Tests, who is more compelling statistically? Who has been the greater match-winner? Who could be the X-factor when which of these two gigantic bowlers meet in cricket’s biggest match?
Wickets, Averages, and Match-Winning Spells: Breaking Down the Basics
Rabada edges ahead with 327 wickets to Hazlewood’s 273 after 70 Tests—but numbers alone can’t capture the fire, finesse, and ferocity behind their spells. Rabada averages, or gives away, 22 runs per wicket, while Hazlewood averages 24.82 runs allowed per wicket; therefore, Rabada is more economical before getting a wicket. Rabada has 16 five-wicket hauls and four ten-wicket matches, while Hazlewood has 12 five-wicket hauls and no ten-wicket hauls.
These different conditions and different opponents are also so interesting that the placement of these numbers could indicate something different. Rabada’s résumé gleams with dominance over cricket’s heavyweights—55 wickets against India, 66 versus England, and 49 against Australia—all at enviable averages that showcase his big-match pedigree. Hazlewood had an especially good time in England with 76 wickets, and performed reasonably well against India also, but there may be some suggestions that he is not as impactful against India as Rabada.
Winning Matches and Rising to the Occasion
Statistics are one thing – but the impact that has been realized in winning contexts creates legends. Rabada has featured in 36 South African Test wins, bagging 212 wickets at an outrageous average of 17.08—proving he’s at his deadliest when the team’s on top. Almost all of his five-wicket hauls and all ten-wicket hauls have been in matches South Africa has won, proving his genuine impact on the game.
Hazlewood’s numbers concerning winning matches are impressive, too; he has 166 wickets (at 20.56) in 36 wins for Australia and seven five-wicket hauls in wins, which proves he performs well when it counts. However, Rabada’s higher rate of five-wicket hauls translates into him being a greater match-winner if the volume of good performances is taken into consideration.
Away Records and Adaptability: Who’s the Better Traveler?
Most bowlers will tell you that nothing is tougher than bowling away from home. Far from home, Rabada becomes even more ruthless—33 away Tests, 129 scalps at 24.96, and six five-wicket hauls that echo across continents. He has 6-46, which is also his best away performance, and we know he can perform in different conditions, from England to Bangladesh.
Hazlewood, who has played 31 away Tests, has 111 wickets at a slightly higher average of 27.41. He has taken five five-wicket hauls away from Australia, signifying that he has had plenty of success on foreign fields. However, Rabada’s average is significantly better than Hazlewood’s, and Rabada has also taken more significant hauls, suggesting he is a little bit better at playing away from home.
The away versus home aspect may hold more significance given that the WTC final will be played at Lord’s, a venue that is away for both, but Rabada’s experience and success away from home may potentially sway it slightly in his favour, even if Hazlewood will be more accustomed to England’s conditions.
Regardless of who you like better or who you support as their favourite player, cricket lovers should be delighted at being able to watch two of the best technicians of their art collide. So, who do you think will have more impact on the biggest stage of all, out of these two outstanding pacers? Let the battle begin!
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