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"Overwhelming" WTC Winning Captain Temba Bavuma Gets Grand Welcome In South Africa

Akshita Patel

Temba Bavuma led South Africa receives grand welcome [Source: @ProteasMenCSA/X.com]Temba Bavuma led South Africa receives grand welcome [Source: @ProteasMenCSA/X.com]

The South African men's cricket team was warmly and emotionally received at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport following the win in the 2025 ICC World Test Championship (WTC). Skipper Temba Bavuma was overwhelmed, as he had not seen such a huge crowd at the airport before.

The Proteas beat Australia in the WTC 2025 final by chasing down 282 runs at the Lord’s Cricket Ground. Aiden Markram won the Player of the Match for his brilliant century in the fourth inning. Captain Bavuma also played a crucial role with a half-century and knitted a 140+ run partnership with Markram.

Temba Bavuma And Co. Get Heroic Welcome In South Africa

After winning the WTC title, the South African team returned back home and landed in Johannesburg. Fans, schoolchildren, and families gathered to celebrate the team’s incredible victory. This is South Africa’s first-ever WTC title and their first ICC trophy in 27 years.

The players wore “champions” t-shirts, signed autographs, and posed for pictures with fans. They were later welcomed by a brass band and red carpet at Cricket South Africa’s office.

Captain Temba Bavuma was visibly moved by the crowd’s support. Talking press (as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo), he opined that he’d never seen such a huge crowd turnout at an airport before.

"It is quite overwhelming. We haven't seen people like that at the airport before. As players, you don't really realise what you've done but when you start to interact with people and see the emotion, it gives you a proper insight into what we've done. We are proud as a team but we are even more happy and proud that we've made our people proud. If you look at this team and the guys at the helm, we have done it the proper South African way. That's unique to this group. We have embraced everything that it means to be South African," Bavuma said.

Bavuma Looking Out For Future

Looking ahead, South Africa has high hopes for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be hosted at home along with Zimbabwe and Namibia. Bavuma said the team is optimistic about doing well in white-ball cricket too, but for now, they’re enjoying their hard-earned celebration.

"For now, it's for us to embrace what we've done, to take it all in, understand what led us to this point and live in that moment for a little bit longer. Then, I think the beauty of international cricket is that there's always something else waiting."

"Once we get over our emotions, it will be what is the next thing? There's the Zimbabwe tour, and the start of the new Test cycle. We will be setting our eyes on what we want to achieve over there. There is always something we are working towards. It's a legacy we want to put together as a team. It's not done now, but for now it's for us to enjoy what the moment has brought us," he added.

Next, South Africa will play a two-Test series against Zimbabwe starting June 28, although it won’t count towards the WTC.