South Africa has made history by securing their first major ICC trophy in 27 years, defeating reigning champions Australia by five wickets in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.
Needing just 29 runs to win on the final morning, the Proteas calmly chased down the target before lunch on Saturday, sealing the win with more than five sessions to spare. The team resumed at 213-2 and finished on 282-5, completing the second-highest successful run chase ever at Lord’s in the 141-year history of Test cricket at the ground.
Despite fierce resistance from the Australians, who aggressively targeted the stumps and exhausted all three of their reviews within the first 90 minutes, South Africa held firm. The batters showed composure under pressure, scoring only three boundaries during the session and losing just three wickets on the final day.
Aiden Markram stood tall as the hero of the match, scoring a magnificent 136 before falling with only six runs needed. He had resumed the day on 102 and batted for over six hours, providing a rock-solid foundation for the chase. Captain Temba Bavuma contributed 66 runs, extending his overnight score by just one before edging behind off Pat Cummins.
Kyle Verreynne eventually struck the winning run, a clean drive through the covers, sparking joyous celebrations among South African players and fans alike. Markram, though dismissed before the finish, received a warm ovation from both teams and the crowd for his match-defining innings.
Reflecting on the victory, a visibly emotional Keshav Maharaj said, “We’ve come a long way as a team and as a nation. This win means everything. After 27 years of near-misses, to finally get over the line is incredibly emotional. Temba’s leadership has been phenomenal.”
He also highlighted the symbolic significance of the win: “Our diversity is our strength. This trophy stands as a symbol of unity for our rainbow nation.”
Australia, known for their resilience, fought until the very end but were ultimately outplayed. They introduced the new ball on a docile pitch but couldn’t disrupt the Proteas’ momentum. Their spirit was evident, though they didn’t celebrate Markram’s dismissal, instead showing sportsmanship in recognizing his stellar effort.
South Africa’s path to the final had been scrutinized, with critics pointing to their avoidance of top-tier teams like England and Australia during the 2023–2025 WTC cycle. However, the Proteas silenced doubters by extending their winning streak to eight consecutive Test matches — their second-longest in history — with half of those victories coming on foreign soil.
This landmark win ends a painful legacy of heartbreaks for South Africa on cricket’s biggest stages, including painful exits in Birmingham (1999), Dhaka (2011), Auckland (2015), Kolkata (2023), and Bridgetown (2024). Now, London 2025 is etched in South African sporting lore as the day the Proteas finally triumphed on the world stage.
Their WTC final win now ranks alongside cricket’s most prestigious honors: the ICC Cricket World Cup and the ICC T20 World Cup, bringing long-awaited joy to a cricket-loving nation.
