In a momentous achievement, South Africa triumphed in the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s, ending a 27-year ICC trophy drought with a remarkable chase of 282 runs. With Aiden Markram scoring an unbeaten century and captain Temba Bavuma contributing a pivotal 66 runs, the Proteas claimed victory by five wickets, marking their first ICC championship win since 1998.
Markram’s exceptional performance of 124 not out on Day 3 laid the groundwork for the win, while Bavuma, despite struggling with a hamstring injury, played a vital role by sealing the match with a boundary through cover. The atmosphere in the South African dressing room was electric, signaling a significant turnaround from past disappointments in ICC tournaments.
Recalling past frustrations, the 1999 World Cup semi-final against Australia remains etched in South African cricket history as one of the most agonizing defeats. Needing nine runs in the final over with just one wicket in hand, Lance Klusener hit two boundaries before a devastating run-out involving Allan Donald resulted in a tie, eliminating South Africa due to an inferior Super Six net run rate.
The 2003 World Cup was another heartache for the team, as a rain-affected match against Sri Lanka in Durban resulted in a tie when South Africa fell victim to a miscalculated DLS par score during a critical run chase, leading to their exit.
In 2011, South Africa’s campaign ended in the quarter-finals against New Zealand. Positioned well at 108 for 2 while chasing 222, a dramatic collapse ensued, leaving them all out for just 172 runs, losing by 49.
The 2015 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand was marked by fielding errors after they set a target of 281 in a rain-shortened match. Grant Elliott’s six off Dale Steyn in the final over dashed their hopes for advancement.
More recently, a disappointing finish at the 2022 T20 World Cup saw South Africa fail to reach the semi-finals after losing to the Netherlands, despite a promising position at 90 for 4 while chasing 159.
South Africa reached the semi-final in the 2023 Cricket World Cup but was overcome by Australia, who eventually won the tournament. Their most recent setback occurred in the 2024 T20 World Cup final against India where, although they bowled India out for 176 with Heinrich Klassen scoring well, they fell short by seven runs in a tense finish.
The victory at Lord’s in the World Test Championship final marks a historic milestone for South Africa, serving as a long-awaited reward after years of near misses and dramatic exits from major tournaments.