SA vs AUS WTC Final 2025: South Africa Clinch Historic Title with Markram Masterclass
In a historic SA vs. AUS WTC Final 2025 at Lord’s, South Africa defeated Australia to finally take the top spot in world Test cricket. The Proteas won their first-ever World Test Championship (WTC) trophy by five wickets after chasing down a target of 282 in an intense, passionate, and resilient final.
Match Summary And Scorecard
South Africa 138 (Bedingham 45, Cummins 6-28) and 282 for 5 (Markram 146, Bavuma 66, Starc 3-66) beat Australia 212 (Webster 72, Smith 66, Rabada 5-51) and 207 (Starc 58, Carey 43, Rabada 4-59, Ngidi 3-38) by 5 wickets.
Temba Bavuma’s Grit and Partnership
Captain Temba Bavuma, despite battling a hamstring strain, displayed remarkable grit with a 66-run knock. His partnership of 147 runs with Markram proved match-defining, bringing stability after early jitters. Though Bavuma fell before the end, his leadership remained intact as South Africa ended their 9722-day wait for a major ICC title.
Australia’s Missed Opportunity
Australia’s Missed Opportunity
Despite holding a 74-run lead in the first innings, Australia couldn’t maintain their dominance. A middle-order collapse in their second innings and missed DRS reviews cost them dearly. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins fought valiantly, but it wasn’t enough to stop South Africa’s determined charge.
A New Era Begins for Test Cricket
The SA vs AUS final wasn’t just a South African triumph—it was a win for world Test cricket beyond the traditional powerhouses. With the underdog narrative and packed stands at Lord’s, the match served as a reminder of Test cricket’s enduring charm.
South Africa Silences the ‘Chokers’ Label
The ‘chokers’ tag may now be consigned to the past, but Temba Bavuma heard the allusions as Australia attempted to influence South Africa on the fourth day at Lord’s. The Australians reminded Bavuma and Aiden Markram that the task was not finished when they returned on day four with a 69-run deficit to win. The strain was evident in the middle, particularly when Mitchell Starc’s beauty cut Tristan Stubbs’ bail with the objective 41 away and Bavuma edged Pat Cummins behind with 65 needed.
However, Markram’s memorable innings brought them within touching distance of the target, so there were ultimately no serious fears. Though there were still some remarks, Bavuma was quick to point out that playing the current Australian side is a different experience than in the past, a direct reference to the controversial 2018 series.
“Playing against Australia is a bit different in the last couple of years,” he stated. “On the pitch, they don’t speak as much. There isn’t much conversation, but they are nonetheless forceful in their body language and clearly skilled. Naturally, the accusation that we choked people was made this morning. We might lose our eight wickets in fewer than 60 runs, according to one of their players. Yes, I did hear that.
“Let’s continue locking in,” Aiden said, utilizing the [phrase] lock in after each over. We should not give them anything. Therefore, there wasn’t much conversation—just one or two things were spoken.
