Chokers Rewrite History: South Africa Ends 27-Year ICC Drought
London, 14th June 2025: South Africa etched its name in cricketing history on Saturday by winning the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) for the first time, defeating defending champions Australia by five wickets at Lord’s. This historic victory also marks South Africa’s first ICC title in 27 years, since winning the Champions Trophy in 1998.
Chasing a challenging target of 282 runs, the Proteas sealed the win before lunch on the fourth day, with Aiden Markram leading the charge with a magnificent 136-run knock. Captain Temba Bavuma played a vital supporting role, scoring 66 runs. Kyle Verreynne scored the winning run in the 84th over with a single off Mitchell Starc, remaining unbeaten on 4 alongside David Bedingham (21*). Markram was named Player of the Match.
Match Summary:
Australia 1st Innings: 212
South Africa 1st Innings: 138
Australia 2nd Innings: 218
South Africa 2nd Innings (Target 282): 285/5
Despite holding a 74-run lead after the first innings, Australia faltered with the bat in the second innings and failed to contain South Africa on a pitch that turned batting-friendly in the latter stages of the match.
Turning Points in South Africa’s Victory
1. Sunshine After Swing:
The first two days of the match were dominated by overcast conditions, favoring Australian seamers with swing and movement. However, clear skies and sunshine on Friday and Saturday flattened the pitch, aiding the South African batsmen during the crucial run chase.
2. Steve Smith’s Missed Catch:
In a pivotal moment, Australian fielder Steve Smith dropped a catch off Temba Bavuma when the South African skipper was on just 2 runs. The missed opportunity allowed Bavuma to anchor the innings and build a critical partnership with Markram.
3. Flattening Pitch Neutralizes Australian Attack:
The Lords pitch offered significant movement early in the match but flattened out on Days 3 and 4. This shift nullified the threat of the Australian pace attack, with Starc, Cummins, and Hazlewood failing to extract much from the surface in the decisive fourth innings.
Captains React
Temba Bavuma (South Africa Captain):
“The last two days were special, for a moment it felt like we were playing at home. This is a historic moment for our country. Many times, luck and weather have gone against us, but this time, we had the sun on our side.”
Pat Cummins (Australia Captain):
“We didn’t execute some things well. Despite a good lead in the first innings, we couldn’t build on it. Credit to South Africa—they showed why they reached the final. They deserve this win.”
South Africa’s Playing XI:
Temba Bavuma (captain), Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wicketkeeper), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
Extras: Tony De Georgi, Dan Paterson, Senuran Muthusamy, Corbin Bosch.
With this win, South Africa has finally broken the ICC jinx and become Test world champions—cementing their place in cricketing history and offering a long-awaited moment of national pride.
