South Africa End 27-Year Wait, Beat Australia to Win WTC25 Final at Lord's

History was scripted at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground as South Africa defeated Australia by five wickets in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 Final, ending a 27-year-long drought for a major ICC men’s trophy.

Chasing a modest target of 282, the Proteas sealed the victory on the fourth morning with Kyle Verreynne striking the winning runs to clinch South Africa’s first senior ICC men’s title since 1998.

Markram’s Masterclass Leads the Way

The star of the match was undoubtedly Aiden Markram, whose stunning 136-run innings earned him the Player of the Match award. He anchored the chase with poise and class, surviving hostile spells from the seasoned Australian attack and ensuring the scoreboard ticked along steadily. Markram's composure was evident even when key wickets fell around him — including skipper Temba Bavuma (66) and Tristan Stubbs (8) — on a tense final morning.

Although he was dismissed just six runs short of the target by Josh Hazlewood (1/58), Markram had already done the hard work, receiving a standing ovation from the packed Lord’s crowd as he walked off.

Rabada’s Fiery Spell Breaks Aussie Backbone

Complementing Markram’s heroics was Kagiso Rabada, who tore through the Australian lineup with a combined 9 wickets across both innings. Rabada’s raw pace and accuracy left the Australian batters struggling, continuing his legacy as one of the modern game’s most feared fast bowlers.

The duo of Markram and Rabada, who first rose to fame as teammates during South Africa’s 2014 ICC Under-19 World Cup triumph, were fitting heroes in this historic win.

Australia Falter Despite Late Resistance

Despite their experienced bowling arsenal — Mitchell Starc (3/66), Pat Cummins (1/59), and Nathan Lyon among them — the Aussies could not prevent South Africa from marching to victory. Cummins had earlier removed Bavuma, raising hopes of a comeback, and Starc’s fiery delivery sent Stubbs packing, but it wasn’t enough to halt the South African charge.

Australia's batting unit, led by Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, failed to convert starts into substantial scores, ultimately setting a target that proved too little on a pitch easing up on Day 4.

A Triumph Decades in the Making

This is South Africa’s first ICC men’s title since the 1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy, making it a landmark moment for the cricketing nation long haunted by semi-final heartbreaks and close calls. The victory also comes just a year after their painful loss to India in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

With this WTC Final win, South Africa now join New Zealand and Australia as champions in the short history of the World Test Championship.

Final Score Summary:

South Africa: 282 target achieved with 5 wickets in hand
Player of the Match: Aiden Markram – 136 (match-winning innings)
Key Bowler: Kagiso Rabada – 9 wickets across both innings

South Africa XI:

Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

Australia XI:

Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

Also Read: Graveyard at Lord’s: Markram & Bavuma Defy the Odds in WTC Showdown