Lungi Ngidi: WTC victory might alter South Africa’s cricket scene

Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi is hopeful that he can make history by bringing the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) mace home when South Africa plays their largest Test match. Lungi Ngidi thinks a victory might change the course of cricket in South Africa. The Proteas will play the reigning champions, Australia, in the highly anticipated WTC Final at Lord’s beginning on June 11.

South Africa has missed out on a major championship because to its recent near-misses in ICC competitions, including their loss to India in the 2024 T20 World Cup final and their elimination in the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final. However, the Proteas have another fantastic chance to break their long-standing title drought after a strong WTC season that included seven straight victories.

“To be honest, I don’t think I can describe it in words. With other tournaments over the past few years, we’ve gotten quite close. This is the best kind of cricket, in my opinion, and it would be an absolute dream to be able to take it back home. It would be fantastic, but I don’t want to jinx anything. “I believe it has the potential to transform South African cricket and simply restore the emphasis on red-ball cricket,” Lungi Ngidi told ICC Digital.

The nerves are much calmer now: Lungi Ngidi

While Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, two of his colleagues, have garnered the most attention, Ngidi has been recovering from a number of ailments. The 29-year-old is now completely healthy and ready for the match.

“I’ve got plenty of time to be ready for this, so I feel really prepared. Playing at Lord’s is a dream come true for any cricket player. I’ve been fortunate enough to play England at Lord’s before, and I must admit that the nerves and the excitement were very overwhelming. However, the anxieties are much more at ease this time around. The pacer went on to say, “The great thing about Test cricket is that the process essentially stays the same, and having that consistency helps me relax as a player. Of course, there is a major title on the line.

Notably, South Africa’s pace attack, which aims to duplicate previous success at Lord’s, may benefit from Lungi Ngidi performance and full fitness. Rabada’s five-wicket haul during their most recent tour caused mayhem and allowed the Proteas to completely destroy England in two and a half days. Lungi Ngidi, meanwhile, has only taken one wicket in his one Test match at the storied Lord’s.