New Delhi: Chokers? No more. Temba Bavuma-led South Africa defeated defending champions Australia by five wickets in the final at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London on Saturday to win the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 and clinch the elusive Test mace. South Africa brought an end to a 27-year-long wait for a major ICC title with their memorable triumph at Lord’s.
Aiden Markram turned out to be the hero for the Proteas with a magnificent knock of 136 runs in their second innings to help them chase down a tricky target of 282 runs and complete a historic victory. Markram stood tall with the willow alongside skipper Bavuma to help South Africa ace the run chase and script history at the Lord’s.
After falling short on the big stage on numerous occasions and enduring multiple heartbreaks over the years, South Africa shunned the ‘chokers’ tag in style to outclass defending champions Australia and claim their first World Test Championship crown. South Africa last won a major ICC title when they won the inaugural edition of the Champions Trophy (then ICC knockouts) in 1998.
Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma help South Africa script history
After their dismal batting show in the first innings, Markram and Bavuma led the charge in South Africa’s second innings to help them comfortably get over the line in the 282-run chase. Markram top-scored with a brilliant 136-run knock, becoming the first South African batter to score a ton in the final of an ICC event, while Bavuma scored a gutsy 66-run knock of 134 deliveries.
Bavuma and Markram joined hands in the middle after the Proteas lost Wiaan Mulder on 27 during their second innings on Day 3 of the final. The duo shared an important partnership of 143 runs for the third wicket to help South Africa end with 213/2 at stumps on Day 3, just 69 runs away from a memorable victory.
Markram completed his ton before stumps on Day 3, notching up his eighth century in Test cricket and first in a WTC final. South Africa lost Bavuma early as they resumed their 2nd innings on Day 4, but Markram finished with a match-winning knock of 136 runs to propel his team to victory. South Africa became the third team, after New Zealand and Australia, to win the World Test Championship.
Kagiso Rabada stars with the ball for South Africa
While Markram and Bavuma starred with the bat, Kagiso Rabada was arguably the standout performer with the ball for South Africa in the WTC 2023-25 final against Australia. Rabada sizzled with the ball on the opening day of the final to run riot against Australia with a fifer in their first innings, before taking a four-wicket haul during the second innings to finish the game with a brilliant 9-wicket match haul.
Aiden Markram slammed a magnificent knock of 136 runs to help South Africa beat Australia by five wickets in the final at Lord’s to clinch their maiden World Test Championship (WTC) title. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
