Ahead of the WTC 2025 final, former Proteas cricketer AB de Villiers warned Australia not to take South Africa lightly, even if the team lacks experience.

"Yeah. I think that to all of our surprise, the Proteas have managed to qualify for the final. I say surprise because I feel there are more experienced, more well-oiled teams out there like Australia. It is the teams that have the most experience with regards to the five-day test match format that come out on top consistently. Where I feel the Proteas are lacking a little bit in that area, they have found a way to create something incredibly special within that team. With a lot of youngsters, a lot of inexperienced players, they have managed to gel together and find a culture," said de Villiers in a video posted by ICC.