South Africa created cricketing history on Saturday by defeating Australia by five wickets in the WTC Final 2025, held at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground. With this stunning victory, South Africa ended their 27-year-long ICC trophy drought, marking their first-ever WTC title and only the second ICC trophy in the country’s history.
The match, filled with drama, comebacks, and pressure moments, will be remembered for the brilliance of Aiden Markram, the resilience of Temba Bavuma, and the unity of a team determined to shake off the “chokers” tag that has haunted South African cricket for decades.
🏏 Match Summary: South Africa vs Australia – WTC Final 2025
- Australia 1st Innings: 212
- South Africa 1st Innings: 138
- Australia 2nd Innings: 207
- South Africa 2nd Innings: 282/5
- Result: South Africa won by 5 wickets
Chasing 282 in the fourth innings — traditionally a daunting task at Lord’s — South Africa showed nerves of steel. At stumps on Day 3, they were comfortably placed at 213/2. On Day 4, they needed just 69 more runs, and they achieved that with 8 wickets in hand, before losing a couple of wickets in the final stretch.
🌟 Markram’s Masterclass: 136 Runs That Changed History
South African opener Aiden Markram delivered the performance of his career, scoring a majestic 136 under immense pressure. His composure and technical brilliance frustrated Australia’s bowlers, even as they tried to swing the momentum back early on Day 4.
His innings was especially significant after a first-innings duck, proving Markram’s mental resilience. This century will be remembered as one of the finest ever played in an ICC final.
Bavuma’s Brave Leadership
Captain Temba Bavuma, despite battling a hamstring strain, stood tall. His gritty knock of 65 was instrumental in building the partnership with Markram. His tactical acumen, combined with his symbolic presence as South Africa’s first Black African cricket captain, made the victory even more meaningful.
This win also marked a social milestone — Bavuma became the first Black African captain to lift an ICC trophy, an image that resonated far beyond the boundaries of the field.
Australia Fights, But Falls Short
Australia, the reigning WTC champions, put up a valiant fight. Mitchell Starc was the standout performer for the Aussies, scoring an unbeaten 58 in the second innings and taking key wickets in both innings. However, their batting collapsed under disciplined South African pace bowling led by Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi.
In a critical blow to Australia’s defense, veteran batter Steve Smith was ruled out of Day 4 due to a dislocated finger, weakening their slip cordon and morale during crucial moments.
🏆 What This WTC Final 2025 Win Means for South Africa
This WTC title is more than just a trophy for South Africa. It symbolizes the end of years of disappointment and underachievement at major ICC events. South Africa last won an ICC trophy in 1998 — the inaugural ICC KnockOut (now Champions Trophy). Since then, they’ve suffered heartbreaking exits in multiple World Cups and T20 tournaments.
Today, they erased all of that.
This victory:
- Ends their long-standing “chokers” tag
- Establishes them as a top Test nation
- Paves the way for future generations to play without baggage
- Sends a message that perseverance pays off — no matter how long the wait
🗣️ What They Said:
“We’ve waited for this moment for years. To finally win an ICC trophy, and at Lord’s, is beyond special.”
— Temba Bavuma, South Africa captain
“That partnership between Markram and Bavuma was world-class. Australia had no answers.”
— Graeme Smith, former captain