South Africa ended a near three-decade wait for a senior ICC trophy in 14th June, securing a historic five-wicket victory over Australia in the World Test Champions Final at Lord’s.
The Proteas, displaying remarkable composure, successfully chased down the remaining 69 runs on the fourth morning, with wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne striking the winning runs to ignite jubilant celebrations.
The architects of the this momentous triumph were undoubtedly Player of Match Aiden Markram, whose crucial innings of 136 proved to be the bedrock of South Africa’s success in a contest dominated by the ball. On the stressful final morning, Makram’s steadiness shone through. In spite of, early wickets from Captain Temba Bavuma (66) and Tristan Stubbs (8) that briefly buoyed Australia’s spirits, Makram stayed focused, expertly steering his team towards victory. Even his late dismissal, just shy of the finish line, could not detract from an innings that will be etched in South African cricket history.
While Makram’s heroics rightfully earned him individual accolades, the victory was a testament to a collective team effort. Pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada played a vital role, unsetting the Australian batsmen throughout the match and claiming nine wickets across both innings.
This victory holds special significance for both Makram and Rabada, who were part of the South African squad that clinched the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2014. For the Proteas as a whole, this win finally puts an end to a painful sequence of near misses in the knockout stages of major ICC events, leading in a new era of success and dismissing years of frustration.
South Africa’s lineup for the match included: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, their captain Temba Bavuma, Tristan Stubbs, and David Bedingham, wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, and Lungi Ngidi.
The Australian team consisted of: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, and Beau Webster, wicketkeeper Alex Carey, their captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Josh Hazlewood.
