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From Chokers To Champions; Temba Bavuma And Co Become The 3rd WTC Champions

Probuddha Bhattacharjee

South Africa after winning the WTC 2025 Final [Source: AP Photos]South Africa after winning the WTC 2025 Final [Source: AP Photos]

Do you know the meaning of the word Temba? Well, as far as the SA Captain himself is considered, it means 'Hope'. After today the name is justified as the man has led the rainbow nation to their second ever ICC title. South Africa have created history at the 'Home Of Cricket' to become the third WTC Champions.

Led by Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada's brilliance, the resilience of the whole team and some nerves of steel shown at the right time, South Africa overhauled Australia by six wickets in the WTC 2025 Final. It comes as a historic moment for the nation as for a long period of time they have been tagged as 'Chokers' because of losing crucial games in the biggest of the stages.

Kagiso Rabada Set The Stage For His Team

After winning the toss on the first day, the onus was on the South African bowlers to restrict the Aussies to a manageable total. Ace pacer, Kagiso Rabada took the onus on himself and rattled the Australian batting with a wive wicket haul in the first innings. 

Steve Smith and Beau Webster fought the battle for the Australian team in the first innings and managed to take their total to a fighting 212 on a diffcult pitch. 

Pat Cummins Brings Australia Back In The Match

In reply to Australia's 212, South Africa did not get a good start as they lost Aiden Markram in the first over. They were struggling at 30/4, when Temba Bavuma came into the crease and stabilised the ship for his team.

However, after this Pat Cummins bowled a dramatic spell. The captain Marvel of Australia picked up six wickets conceding just 28 runs and played a major role in restricting South Africa to just 138 runs.

South Africa Keep Hanging By The Straw

Australia started the third innings of the game with a lead of 74 runs under their belt. The defending champions would have targetted a lead of 300 runs for South Africa to chase down in the final innings. 

The Proteas came out with a fighting spirit, they bowled a testing spell and had the Australians reeling at 73/7. But the Australian mentality took over at this stage and they showed a brilliant fight at this stage. Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc showed brilliant resilience and took the Australian total 207 leaving a target of 282 for Bavuma and his men.

Aiden Markram Stands Tall In The Fourth Innings

282 seemed like a more than challenging total, who were bundled out for 138 runs in the first innings. But this time Aiden Markram stood up and showed a resilience for the ages.

The South African opener scored a brilliant century and laid the foundation for the successful chase. While Markram's knock will talked for years after this, Bavuma himself showed great character.

When the skipper walked out to bat, the match was in a balance with South Africa stationed at 70/2. Bavuma started building his innings and playing a second fiddle to Markram. But midway he suffered a hamsrting pull and looked in duress. The skipper did not leave the fight and built a title winning partnership with the opener.

The 147 partnership between Bavuma and Markram more or less determined the result of the match. Even though the two batters did not stay till the end, Bedingham and Verreynne ensured that the Proteas went past the target with five wickets in hand.

Glory After 28 Years

Notably, this is not the first time South Africa have won an ICC Title. Their previous win as the ICC Knock Out Trophy (now known as ICC Champions Trophy) in 1998, under the leadership of Hansie Cronje. So, Temba Bavuma becomes the second South African skipper to lay his hands on a ICC Trophy.