South Africa etched a historic victory by snatching the World Test Championship mace from Australia’s grasp in a thrilling final at Lord’s that ended in just four days. The Proteas proudly claimed their first major cricket title in 27 years, sealing a five-wicket win to crown themselves champions.
On day four, South Africa needed 69 runs to win and reached the target in just over two hours, despite only hitting three boundaries. Australia fought fiercely until the very end, but South Africa advanced from 213-2 overnight to finish at 285-5, marking the second highest successful run chase in Lord’s 141-year test history.
This triumph ended years of painful near-misses for South Africa on cricket’s biggest stages, including heartbreaking losses in Birmingham (1999), Dhaka (2011), Auckland (2015), Kolkata (2023), and Bridgetown (2024). But London 2025 will be remembered as a landmark day in South African sports, when the underdog team seized control and refused to let go against a formidable Australian side.
Proteas captain Temba Bavuma reflected on the moment, recalling how the Australian players taunted them with the dreaded word “choke” during the game. “It’s been years since we’ve overcome a final. Now we’re part of something historic. This victory is special in many ways — it’s a chance to unite South Africa, to put aside our differences and celebrate together,” he said.
The win also sets a positive tone for South Africa’s preparation ahead of their home ODI World Cup in 2027. Though it’s a different format, the confidence gained from breaking their global trophy drought since 1998 will be invaluable.
Australia didn’t surrender easily, aggressively targeting South Africa’s stumps and using up all three reviews in the first 90 minutes, but their efforts fell short. This defeat marked only the fourth time Australia lost an ICC final in 14 attempts.
Australia captain Pat Cummins praised the Proteas’ performance, saying, “They were exceptional in the fourth innings. The pitch didn’t offer much, but they never gave us a chance.”
South Africa’s batting remained solid, losing just three wickets on the final day. One of the standout players was Aiden Markram, who batted for over six hours, scoring 136 runs before falling just six runs shy of the target. Australia’s players showed respect, applauding him as he left the field, while the crowd at Lord’s gave a standing ovation.
Markram expressed his pride, saying, “Playing at Lord’s was always a dream of mine. To do it in a final and come away with a win is truly special.”
Kyle Verreynne soon followed by hitting the winning runs with a confident drive into the covers. The day before, Markram and an injured Bavuma had forged an unbeaten 143-run partnership that laid the foundation for the victory. Although they added only four more runs together on the final day, Bavuma’s dismissal at 66 didn’t dampen the celebrations.
Markram was awarded man of the match for his brilliant batting and key bowling contributions, including dismissing Steve Smith—who became the highest scoring overseas player at Lord’s—and Josh Hazlewood. Kagiso Rabada’s remarkable nine wickets in the match also played a crucial role.
South Africa had been given little credit before the final, with critics citing an easier path through the World Test Championship cycle due to not facing England or Australia in earlier series. However, their eight consecutive Test wins, their second longest streak ever, speak volumes about their progress.
Spinner Keshav Maharaj expressed deep emotion after the win: “We’ve come a long way as a team and as a nation. After 25 years of heartbreak, finally crossing the line is overwhelming. Temba was key in leading us here. Our diversity is our strength, and seeing the crowd stand for our rainbow nation means so much. Lifting this trophy will bring us all closer together.”
