South Africa’s Emotional WTC Triumph, Proteas End 27-Year Trophy Drought

London: Chokers no more,

South Africa buried that painful label once and for all on Saturday, claiming the ICC World Test Championship mace with a thrilling five-wicket win over Australia at Lord’s. It was their first major cricket trophy in 27 years, and it came with authority, inside four gripping days of high pressure cricket.
Resuming day four on 213,2 and needing 69 runs, the Proteas calmly knocked off the target in just over two hours, finishing at 285,5. It was the second highest successful fourth innings chase in the 141 year history of Test cricket at the historic venue.
Australia fought to the bitter end, relentlessly attacking the stumps and exhausting their three reviews within the first 90 minutes. But the reigning champions couldn’t break through South Africa’s composed resistance.
“Whilst we were batting, we could hear the Aussies using that dreaded word, ‘choke,’” said South Africa captain Temba Bavuma. “It’s been years since we overcame a final. We’re etched in history now. This is special in many ways, a moment of unity for South Africa. We just have to embrace it.”
Victory at Lord’s exorcised the ghosts of past heartbreaks for South Africa at global tournaments, Birmingham 1999, Dhaka 2011, Auckland 2015, Kolkata 2023, and Bridgetown 2024, all moments etched in painful memory. But London 2025 now stands tall among the proudest in South African sporting history.
The win also provides a timely confidence boost ahead of South Africa's home ODI World Cup in 2027. While a different format, the mental burden of decades without a global trophy has finally lifted, their last major title being the ICC KnockOut, now Champions Trophy, in 1998.
Australia, so often the dominant force in finals, was gracious in defeat. “They were fantastic in that fourth innings,” said captain Pat Cummins. “There wasn’t much in the wicket, but they didn’t give us a chance.”
The Proteas lost just three wickets on the final day. One of them was Aiden Markram, the cornerstone of the chase, who resumed on 102 and was dismissed for 136, just six runs short of victory after a marathon six hour stay. In a rare moment of sportsmanship, the Australians patted him on the back as he walked off, and the Lord’s crowd rose to applaud his match winning effort.
“Growing up, Lord’s was the one venue I dreamed of playing at,” Markram said. “To do it in a final and win, it’s really special.”
Fifteen minutes later, Kyle Verreynne hit the winning run with a crisp drive through the covers.
Markram was named Player of the Match for his gritty century and two key wickets, dismissing Steve Smith on 66 in the first innings, making Smith the highest foreign Test run scorer at Lord’s, and removing Josh Hazlewood to end Australia’s second innings. Kagiso Rabada also starred with a nine wicket match haul.
Bavuma and Markram laid the platform on Friday with an unbeaten 143 run stand. Though Bavuma added only one run on Saturday before edging Cummins for 66, his knock was instrumental. He was dropped on 2 by Steve Smith, a crucial moment, made more costly when Smith broke a finger and couldn’t return.
Critics had pointed to South Africa’s so called soft WTC schedule, they didn’t face Australia or England in the 2023–25 cycle, but the team has now won eight consecutive Tests, their second longest streak ever.
“We’ve come a long way as a team and as a country,” said emotional spinner Keshav Maharaj. “We always say we want to be good people and play good cricket. After 25 years of pain, to finally get over the line is super emotional.
“We’re so grateful to have Temba to lead us. Diversity is our strength, and today, the crowd represented what the rainbow nation stands for. Lifting the trophy will unite us even more.”