Aiden Markram's magnificent innings of 136 at Lord's in the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia has etched his name in South African cricket history. The opener's heroics secured a five-wicket victory for the Proteas, ending a 27-year drought of major ICC titles and sparking jubilant celebrations. After the match, Markram reflected on his match-winning innings and the significance of the victory, revealing his initial reaction: "Have not scored more important runs."
Markram's journey in the final was a tale of contrasting fortunes. After a disappointing duck in the first innings, he bounced back with a masterful century in the second, guiding his team to victory. He acknowledged the role of luck in his turnaround, stating, "Weird how things worked out after a duck in the first innings. I need a bit of luck. I spent some time in the middle and found runs, and I'm glad things worked out." He spent six hours and 23 minutes at the crease, facing 207 balls and hitting 14 fours, demonstrating remarkable composure and determination.
The atmosphere at Lord's was electric, with a strong contingent of South African fans cheering their team on. Markram expressed his gratitude for their support, saying, "Reception will stick out. Lord's is the place every Test cricketer wants to play. To play a final here is incredibly special. Plenty of SA fans who have made it through, plenty at home too, it is one of the most special days."
Markram also spoke about the importance of maintaining the right tempo during the chase. He said, "It is always one side of the sword - to absorb, but when you look at the wicket and quality of the bowling, you have x amount of balls to face and have to be try and maximise scoring off those balls."
His partnership with captain Temba Bavuma was crucial to South Africa's success. Bavuma, battling a hamstring injury, showed immense grit and determination, scoring a valuable 66. Markram praised his captain's effort, saying, "To be honest, a lot of it came from him. He's led us from the front for the last two to three years. He did not want to walk off the field yesterday, found a way to score really important runs, and played an innings that a lot of people will remember." He further added that Bavuma wanted to ensure his reduced ability to run between wickets wasn't impacting Markram's scoring.
Markram also acknowledged the quality of the Australian bowling attack, particularly Nathan Lyon. He said, "If this went to day five and it kept spinning, he would have been a handful."
The significance of the victory was not lost on Markram, who stated, "I'm not here to chase numbers and stats. I really just want to win stuff for South Africa. now. So I'm at peace with that. And I think it's quite a nice space to be in as a player. because your your full buy is towards the team and your your full care is towards everyone in the change room. and that's what you try to take care of and if things work out then great." This win marked South Africa's first triumph in an ICC tournament final, breaking years of near-misses and relieving them of the "chokers" tag that had haunted them for so long.
Coach Shukri Conrad praised the senior players' match-winning partnership, and Kagiso Rabada lauded the fans for their support. The victory was a testament to the team's resilience, composure, and unwavering belief in their ability to perform on the big stage.
The Australians also acknowledged Markram’s brilliant innings. As he walked off the field after being dismissed with just six runs needed, the Australian players congratulated him.
The WTC Final victory was a historic moment for South African cricket, and Aiden Markram's match-winning century will be remembered for generations to come.
