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Ayushi Singh

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South Africa win the coveted Test Mace

South Africa remove the 'chokers' tag, winning the WTC Final 2025

South Africa win the coveted Test Mace (Photo - X)

The Proteas have finally laid a claim on a coveted ICC trophy. Generations changed, but the ICC glory eluded the South Africans for 27 years. Now, the wait of almost three decades has ceased as the Proteas, led by Temba Bavuma, have defeated Australia to claim the WTC Final 2025 title. The Home of Cricket welcomed new World Test Champions as South Africa, charged by a heroic century from Aiden Markram, overcame the defending champions at Lord's. The action concluded on Day 4 of the third edition of the World Test Championship final as South Africa finally reached the shore.

South Africa beat Australia by 5 wickets to claim the WTC Final 2025 title

The Proteas took on Day 4 of the WTC Final 2025 needing 69 runs with 8 wickets remaining to win the championship. The equation at the end of Day 3 suggested that mere formalities were left before the Proteas rewrote history at Lord's. The set pair of Aiden Markram and the South African skipper Temba Bavuma sustained till stumps on Day 3 after Markram reached the 100-run mark. However, Australia tested Africa's reach to the winning mark, scalping three wickets on Day 4 of the Test at Lord's.

Temba Bavuma, who injured his hamstring but kept going on Day 3 to pile a half-century, departed at 66 off 134 in a caught-behind dismissal shortly after the start of the game on Day 4. Tristan Stubbs arrived at the crease as the Protean hero of the match, Aiden Markram, kept strong at the other end. The target kept inching closer, but the defending champions made desperate attempts to find inroads, reviewing three deliveries.

The second review seemed to startle Stubbs, who lost his wicket on the very next delivery as Mitchell Starc cleaned the stumps behind the Protean. The equation still heavily favoured South Africa with Markram still on strike. However, much to the disappointment of cricket fans around the world, Markram could not finish the game. With only 6 needed to win the match and the coveted title, the Proteas opener took on Josh Hazlewood. However, the shot ended in the hands of Travis Head at mid-wicket.

Lord's stood in respect of Aiden Markram as the batter took a lengthy walk back to the dressing room after putting South Africa in the lap of glory with his 136 off 207 knock. David Bedingham and Kyle Verreynne ensured that there arrived no anti-climax in the winning script from there, as South Africa beat Australia by 5 wickets to lift the World Test Championship title.

Markram's match-winning century, Temba Bavuma's heroic fifty headline the historic contest at Lord's

Across the four days of action at Lord's, South Africa saw both the bowlers and the batters step up to the occasion. It was Kagiso Rabada, with his five-wicket haul on Day 1, who laid the foundation of South Africa's dominance in the match. Australia, being the reigning champions at the time, however, made quick inroads as captain Pat Cummins scalped a 6-wicket haul in the second innings.

Rabada scalped another four in the second innings, but a half-century by Mitchell Starc at the tail end made the equation tricky for the Proteas. By the time Australia got bundled out on Day 3, the ask mounted to 282 for South Africa. This is when the opener and the skipper stepped up. Markram had suffered a duck in the first innings against Australia. However, with the surface at Lord's toning down by the third day, the opener found his feet. While Africa lost Mulder and Rickelton, Bavuma came in to ensure his team's standing in the contest.

The skipper injured his hamstring toward the end of Day 3. However, Bavuma kept going despite the discomfort. Markram charged to a century, and the injured skipper got to his fifty as their tenacious partnership gradually pushed Australia out of the contest. Aiden Markram was rewarded the Player of the Match as South Africa scripted only the fifth instance of chasing a par 200-run score at Lord's in the history of Test cricket. The coveted Test Mace is now for South Africa to boast.

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