In the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) Final, South Africa defeated Australia by five wickets at London’s Lord’s Cricket Ground, securing a historic win.
They won their first major ICC trophy since 1998 with this victory, ending their 27-year ICC title drought. Australia won 13 of 19 games in the 2023–25 cycle, but the Proteas dominated the WTC points table, finishing as the table toppers with eight wins in 12 games.
Talking Points
1. Day 1’s flaming spell of Rabada
The team captained by Temba Bavuma won the toss and chose to bowl in cloudy conditions, which immediately paid off as Kagiso Rabada produced a brilliant performance, taking five wickets for 51 runs in 15.4 overs. He surpassed Allan Donald as the most-wicket South African cricketer thanks to his effort. In their first innings total of 212, Australia’s leading scorers were Steve Smith (66) and Beau Webster (72).
2. South Africa is constrained by Cummins’ expertise
South Africa lost four wickets on Day 1 after struggling in their opening innings. In a commanding bowling performance on Day 2, Australian captain Pat Cummins took six wickets to bowl South Africa out for 138, giving his team a 74-run advantage. Additionally, Cummins achieved a significant milestone by taking his 300th Test wicket.
3. Starc-Carey fights back against the dominance of Proteas pacers
In the second innings, South Africa’s pace attack once again destroyed Australia’s batting order with many, fast wickets. Lungi Ngidi supplied three wickets, and Rabada maintained his impressive form with a four-wicket haul. Mitchell Starc scored an undefeated 58 and Alex Carey added 43 as Australia amassed 207 runs.
4. Markram brings Proteas to prominence
In order to win, South Africa had to chase 282 runs. On Day 3, opener Aiden Markram took the lead with an incredible century, while Temba Bavuma was a vital support player. Bavuma’s calm 66 and Markram’s 136-run masterpiece on Day 4 led the rainbow nation to a historic victory and their first WTC crown.
Who Said What?
Aiden Markram, Player of the Match
Haven’t scored more important runs. Weird how things worked out after a duck in the first innings. Need a bit of luck, spent some time in the middle and find runs, glad things worked out. Reception will stick out. Lord’s is the place every Test cricketer wants to play. To play a final here is incredibly special. Plenty of SA fans who’ve made through, plenty at home too, it’s one of the most special days.
(Maintaining tempo in the second inns after going into the shell in the first) It’s always one side of the sword – to absorb, but when you look at the wicket and quality of the bowling, you have x amount of balls to face and have to be try and maximise scoring off those balls.
Lyon’s one of the best, have had plenty of banter, if this went to day five and it kept spinning, he’d have been a handful. (Asking Temba to stay during injury) To be honest, a lot of it came from him. He’s led us from the front for the last two-three years. He didn’t want to walk off the field yesterday, found a way to score really important runs, played an innings lot of people will remember.
Pat Cummins, Losing Captain
Things can change quickly, but it was a bridge too far. Few things we didn’t do right. Didn’t bat out the opposition after a decent first-innings lead. SA didn’t give us a chance in the fourth innings. There are concerns in the top-seven, guys have performed well in the last two years. Bowlers did well in the first two days. We gave everything a chance, Lyon bowled particularly well but didn’t get a wicket.
Aiden and Temba didn’t give us a chance. SA showed why they’re here and are deserved winners, they kept themselves in the game throughout. It’s the pinnancle, I love Test cricket. Huge achievement to make the final, one-game shootout is a spectacle, didn’t end up on the right side but it’s been a great week.
Temba Bavuma, Winning Captain
It’s been a special couple of days, at some points it felt like we were in SA. We prepared hard, we came in with a lot of belief and lot of doubters, glad we played well. Special moment for us and people back home, probably will sink in in a couple of days. The energy was there, I think us as a team have been wanting this. We’ve been relentless, getting to the doorstep consistently and experienced heartache, the sun’s been with us. Hopefully, this win is one of many.
KG is a massive player, a couple of days ago I went to the Hall of Fame inductees, I think he’ll be on there in a few years. Came into the game under controversy and did what he did. Aiden is unbelievable, people have questioned his place, but he has character. He played in true Aiden fashion, he and Rabada have carried the character. We got ourselves into the final, there were doubters on the route we took, this win squashes that. Here’s an opportunity for us as a nation, divided as we are, to unite. You can be rest assured we’ll celebrate as one.
India
