Pat Cummins, Temba Bavuma Visit Abbey Road Studios Ahead Of World Test Championship Final

The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final is just a day away. Ahead of the title clash, captains – Pat Cummins of Australia and Temba Bavuma of South Africa – took a brief detour from cricket to soak in a bit of musical history.

The duo visited London’s iconic Abbey Road Studios as part of an event celebrating cricket legends inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) shared a set of photographs on its social media handles, capturing the moment. The post was captioned, "The writers of #WTC25 Final history take in a special piece of the music world. Temba Bavuma and Pat Cummins at 'A Day with the Legends', celebrating the latest ICC Hall of Fame inductees."

The visit coincided with the Hall of Fame induction ceremony held on June 9 at Abbey Road Studios, where seven cricketers were formally added to the prestigious list. This year’s inductees included Hashim Amla, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Matthew Hayden, Graeme Smith and Daniel Vettori from the men’s game, alongside Sana Mir and Sarah Taylor representing the women’s game. Their inclusion brings the total number of inductees to 122.

The event doubled as a curtain-raiser for the upcoming WTC Final, which will see Australia and South Africa face off at Lord’s from June 11 to 15, with June 16 set aside as a reserve day. This marks the first time that Lord’s will host the WTC Final, adding to the venue’s storied cricketing history.

Abbey Road Studios, meanwhile, has a legacy of its own. According to its official website, “For 93 years we’ve welcomed the artists who have shaped music and popular culture.” From The Beatles and Pink Floyd to Lady Gaga and Stormzy, the studio has hosted an array of musical icons, making it a fitting backdrop for an occasion honouring cricketing greats.

Australia enters the WTC final as defending champions, having defeated India in the 2023 edition at The Oval. Under the leadership of Pat Cummins, the team will look to become the first to win consecutive WTC titles. South Africa, led by Temba Bavuma, has reached the WTC final for the first time and is keen to end their long wait for an ICC trophy.

With both captains taking time to honour the legends of the past, all eyes now turn to Lord’s, where the newest chapter in Test cricket’s elite competition is set to unfold from tomorrow.