Australia secured a 4-1 Ashes series victory on Thursday, defeating England by five wickets in the fifth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Chasing a modest target of 160 on the fifth day, the hosts overcame a mid-innings collapse to reach the mark shortly after lunch.
The win marks Australia’s fourth consecutive home Ashes series triumph and ensures they retain the urn until at least 2027. For veteran opener Usman Khawaja, the result provided a winning end to an 88-Test career, despite a low individual score in his final outing.
The final day was largely defined by Khawaja’s retirement. The 39-year-old led the Australian team onto the field in the morning and later received a guard of honour from the England players as he walked out to bat for the last time. Although he was bowled by Josh Tongue for just six, Khawaja paused to perform a sajdah on the outfield, receiving a standing ovation from the record SCG crowd.
Reflecting on his career earlier in the week, Khawaja said, "I want to keep playing, I'm still enjoying it... but I'm taking it day by day, series by series." His departure leaves Australia with a opening at the top of the order ahead of their next series against Bangladesh.
England’s second innings concluded earlier in the morning after they added 40 runs to their overnight total. Jacob Bethell, the 22-year-old breakout star of the tour, extended his maiden century to 154 before being caught behind off Mitchell Starc.
Bethell’s marathon 265-ball stay provided England with a late flicker of hope, but Starc’s clinical performance with the second new ball ended the resistance. Starc finished the series with 31 wickets at an average of 19, the highest tally by an Australian quick in an Ashes series since Mitchell Johnson in 2013-14, and was adjudged the player of the series.
The run chase began with high intensity as Travis Head and Jake Weatherald raced to a 50-run opening stand. However, the session was marked by a heated confrontation between bowler Brydon Carse and Weatherald after a controversial DRS review.
Despite a slight murmur on Snicko, third umpire Kumar Dharmasena upheld the not-out decision, leading to an exchange of words that forced captain Ben Stokes to intervene. Head’s aggressive series ended with a total of 629 runs, the ninth-most by an Australian in an Ashes campaign, after he holed out to Tongue.
Australia faced a brief period of jeopardy after lunch, slipping from 62-0 to 121-5. Steve Smith was bowled for 12 by a sharply turning delivery from off-spinner Will Jacks, and Marnus Labuschagne was run out for 37 following a misunderstanding with Alex Carey.
Despite the pressure, Carey and Cameron Green shared an unbeaten 40-run partnership to steady the chase. Carey, who was a standout performer throughout the summer, struck the winning runs with a drive through extra cover to seal the five-wicket result.
The 4-1 result concludes a tour that Brendon McCullum previously suggested could "define" his team. Instead, England returns home facing scrutiny over their preparation and off-field discipline, including a mid-series holiday in Noosa that drew heavy criticism.
While Ben Stokes intends to remain captain, the future of the coaching staff remains uncertain. Australia, conversely, proved their depth by winning the series despite injuries that sidelined Pat Cummins for four matches and Josh Hazlewood for the entire summer. Both teams now pivot to a white-ball schedule, with a T20 World Cup beginning in just two weeks.