By clinching the World Test Championship (WTC) title at Lords on Saturday, South Africa ended their 27-year-long wait for an ICC trophy. This historic victory over Australia elicited a torrent of praise and admiration from the international cricket fraternity. Renowned figures like AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn, Sachin Tendulkar, and Chris Gayle hailed this triumph as inspirational, celebrating the team's courage and leadership.
Seeing South African icons like De Villiers and Graeme Smith captured in emotional moments, knowing they themselves had never won this title, was a heartfelt sight. For them, witnessing this moment was truly special.
AB de Villiers expressed on 'X', "A phenomenal victory and outstanding performance! Kudos to Markram for that pivotal century and congratulations to Temba on his exceptional leadership."
Sachin Tendulkar, the 'God of Cricket,' remarked, "Test cricket continues to weave its magic. Each session told its own story. Markram's patience and Bavuma's grit overshadowed all in the fourth innings. A century to be remembered forever, a partnership that turned hope into history. Congratulations to South Africa for becoming World Test Champions!"
With this victory, South Africa became the third team to claim the World Test Championship title, following New Zealand (2021) and Australia (2023). India was the runner-up twice consecutively (2021 and 2023).
Read further: WTC Final: South Africa Shatters Australia's Pride, First ICC Final Loss After So Many Years
Post-match, Keshav Maharaj stated that it was immensely special to lift the cup for their country and people. The emotions they felt couldn't be fully conveyed even by tears. In the past five days, the entire nation showed unity, for which they are grateful.
Madhu Lal, India's 1983 World Cup winner, speaking to PTI, termed Markram's century as career-defining. He remarked it as the biggest moment of Markram’s career. Chris Gayle wrote, "Amazing Markram! A splendid win for South Africa, under the leadership of Temba Bavuma. A classic test cricket match. Congratulations to World Test Champions South Africa!"
27 Years Later, South Africa Secures ICC Glory
In a historic showdown at England's iconic Lord's ground, South Africa made history by defeating Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC 2025) final match. Under Temba Bavuma's captaincy, South Africa claimed the ICC title after 27 years. The last time was in 1998 when they won the Wills International Cup (now the Champions Trophy). South Africa had several opportunities for an ICC title, but it continued to slip away, earning them the 'chokers' tag. Finally, after 27 years, South Africa dominated the test arena and ended their ICC trophy drought.
