South Africa finally ended their 26-year-long wait for an ICC trophy, as the Proteas lifted their second ICC title after winning the 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final against the defending champions Australia by five wickets at Lord’s in London on Saturday (June 14).
It was the battle between South Africa and Australia, the table-toppers and the second-placed in the final points table (based on percentage of points won out of points contested) of the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship (WTC).
Before the 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final, while the defending champions Australia were six matches unbeaten in Test cricket (five wins and one draw), including their last four victories, South Africa won all their last seven Tests, all under the leadership of Temba Bavuma.
2025 ICC World Test Championship Final: South Africa vs Australia
Kagiso Rabada's fifer bowled out Australia for 212 runs
In the 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final, South Africa sent Australia to bat first after winning the toss. Kagiso Rabada (5/51) and Marco Jansen (3/49) dominated to bowl out Australia for 212 runs in the first innings, where Beau Webster (72) and Steven Smith (66) scored half-centuries.
Pat Cummins' six-fer bundled out South Africa for only 138 runs
However, South Africa were bundled out for only 138 runs, as the defending champions Australia earned a 74-run lead. Aussie captain Pat Cummins recorded a six-fer, as he ended with the bowling figures of 18.1-6-28-6. David Bedingham (45) and captain Temba Bavuma (36) were the only Proteas batters to reach the 20-run mark in that innings.
Australia scored 207 all out after 73/7
In their second innings, Australia were once struggling at 73/7, and then they managed to score 207 runs, thanks to Mitchell Starc’s 58 not out and Alex Carey’s 43, while Starc and Josh Hazlewood added a 59-run partnership for the last wicket. Kagiso Rabada (4/59) and Lungi Ngidi (3/38) were the top bowlers in that innings.
Aiden Markram's unforgettable century and captain Temba Bavuma's fighting 66 guided South Africa to chase 282 runs
Chasing down the 282-run target in the fourth innings, South Africa gripped the match with the outstanding 147-run partnership for the third wicket between the skipper Temba Bavuma and the opener Aiden Markram. While Bavuma scored 66 runs, the Player of the Match Markram scored 136 runs, as South Africa lost five wickets to chase the target successfully.
After New Zealand (2021) and Australia (2023), South Africa became the third team to win the ICC World Test Championship mace. Proteas became the first ICC non-East Asia-Pacific member to win the ICC World Test Championship mace.
South Africa men’s national cricket team won their second ICC title. Their first ICC title was the ICC KnockOut Trophy 1998, presently known as the ICC Champions Trophy.
