South Africa defeated Australia at Lord's to win the World Test Championship Final 2025. Chasing a target of 282, the Proteas secured a 7-wicket victory, claiming their first ICC title since 1998.
South Africa’s long wait to clinch an ICC title has come to an end with a victory over Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 at Lord’s on Saturday, June 14.
With a target of 282 set by the defending champions, Australia, the Proteas successfully chased it down in 83.4 overs on Day 4. South Africa resumed their run chase with 213/2 in 56 overs from Day 3 and needed 69 runs, which they chased down with remarkable composure and discipline despite losing Temba Bavuma (66) and Tristan Stubbs (8) early in the morning session.
Aiden Markram's 136-run innings inched the team closer to the victory before David Bedingham (20*) and Kyle Verreynne (7*) guided South Africa to a historic five-wicket win and their maiden World Test Championship title.
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With this, South Africa clinched their first ICC title since 1998, when they won the Champions Trophy (formerly ICC knockout) by defeating West Indies in the final.
Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma show grit and class
South Africa assumed their chase for glory on Day 3 after bundling out Australia for 207 and a target of 282 to win. The Proteas lost an early wicket of Ryan Rickelton (6) at 9/1, dismissed by Mitchell Starc. Thereafter, Wiaan Mulder joined Aiden Markram at the crease, and the duo formed a crucial 61-run stand before the latter was removed by Starc for 27 at 70/2.
With 70/2 on the board and needing 212 runs to win, the pressure fell on Aiden Markram to lead the charge. However, he received able support from Temba Bavuma, and the pair kept the team in the contest. The grit and resilience were on display as Markram and Bavuma weathered the Australian attack and stitched together a crucial 147-run stand for the third wicket before Pat Cummins ended South Africa’s skipper's stay at the crease.
Temba Bavuma was battling with a hamstring injury, but he showed immense determination and composure, scoring a gritty 66 that played a pivotal role in stabilising the innings and keeping South Africa’s hopes of a historic chase alive. Thereafter, Aiden Markram anchored the innings and inched the team closer to the victory before he was Josh Hazlewood removed him when Proteas required just seven runs.
After Markram’s dismissal, David Bedingham was joined by Kyle Verreynne. The pair held their nerve under pressure and calmly knocked off the remaining runs. When South Africa needed just one run to finish off the match, Verreynne hit a winning run, sealing a memorable five-wicket win and sparking jubilant celebrations among the Proteas players at Lord’s.
Temba Bavuma becomes 2nd SA captain to win an ICC title
Temba Bavuma scripted a historic achievement along with South Africa’s Africa’s WTC triumph, becoming only the second South African captain after Hansie Cronje to win an ICC title, and the first to do so in the red-ball format.
Hansie Cronje was the captain when South Africa clinched their maiden ICC title, when they clinched the Champions Trophy triumph in 1998. Since then, the ICC trophy eluded Proteas for nearly three decades until Bavuma’s men etched their names in history with a composed and courageous performance at Lord’s, finally bringing an end to South Africa’s 27-year wait for global glory.
South Africa qualified for the final after finishing the ongoing WTC cycle as table toppers with 8 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw, achieving a win percentage of 69.44 in 12 matches.
