History has been made. South Africa are the new kings of Test cricket, lifting the ICC World Test Championship 2025 (WTC 2025) title mace after a memorable five-wicket win over Australia at Lord’s. The final day witnessed scenes of joy and catharsis as the Proteas ended decades of near misses to finally claim their first ICC title since 1998.
The winning moment came when Marco Jansen punched a single through cover, sealing a tense chase of 282. The entire South African dressing room poured onto the field. Minutes later, skipper Temba Bavuma hoisted the iconic WTC mace, surrounded by roaring teammates, as fireworks and confetti lit up the London sky.
The foundation of South Africa’s chase was laid by Aiden Markram, who struck a brilliant 136 — a knock full of grit, class, and immense pressure handling. Though he fell short of seeing the chase through, his fourth-innings century ensured South Africa never lost control of the chase despite some tense moments early on Day 4.
Resuming on 213 for 2, South Africa lost Bavuma (66), Stubbs (8), and eventually Markram, with the finish line in sight. But David Bedingham and Marco Jansen stayed calm to take the side home at 283 for 5.
The South Africa WTC title marks a long-awaited global triumph for a side that has so often been competitive but has faltered in knockout games. This win not only crowns them as World Test Champions but also ends a 27-year drought for an ICC trophy.
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The post-match scenes were emotional — Bavuma, visibly moved, led the celebrations. The entire squad gathered in the Lord’s ground for the official mace handing over and trophy lift with the WTC 2025 title mace, beaming with pride.
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