SYDNEY: Australia win the fifth and final Ashes Test against England on Thursday by five wickets, sealing a dominant 4-1 series victory and sending retiring Usman Khawaja off on a high note. The hosts chased a target of 160, reaching it after lunch on day five with Cameron Green unbeaten on 22 and Alex Carey on 16.
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Early wickets fell, with openers Travis Head (29) and Jake Weatherald (34), captain Steve Smith (12), and Khawaja (6) dismissed before the lower order steadied the innings. Carey, who struck the winning runs, said: “That’s Ashes cricket. Everyone got tense. Usman is going to be missed. A great career and a great way to finish.”
A memorable series ends as Australia lift the Ashes trophy #WTC27 | #AUSvENG | Read more ➡️ https://t.co/DNZFYNmPsd pic.twitter.com/A77xamK5E4
— ICC (@ICC) January 8, 2026
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Khawaja, emotional as he walked off to a standing ovation, described his final Test as a rollercoaster of emotions. “I’m grateful I’ve had the career I’ve had. The whole Test match I found it hard to control my emotions,” he said.
Australia’s victory came despite missing key pace bowlers Josh Hazlewood for the series and Pat Cummins for all but one Test, while Nathan Lyon played a limited role. Jacob Bethell’s stylish 154 anchored England’s first innings total of 342, giving them a brief glimmer of hope after a series of heavy defeats in Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide.
England’s lone bright spot was a four-wicket win in the fourth Test at Melbourne, their first in 18 matches in Australia, but the series ultimately ended in disappointment. Mitchell Starc led the Australian attack with 31 wickets, and centuries from Head and Smith in the first innings of the final Test underpinned the hosts’ dominance.
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The series drew nearly 860,000 fans, including a record 211,032 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Australia’s triumph capped a commanding performance across the five-Test series, combining depth in batting, effective bowling, and resilience in the absence of key players.