WTC Final 2025 Glory at Lord’s: Aiden Markram Leads South Africa to Historic WTC Victory

South Africa defeats Australia in the WTC Final 2025 at Lord’s, with Aiden Markram scoring 136 and Kagiso Rabada taking 9 wickets. A 5-wicket win ends 27-year ICC title drought.

London, June 14, 2025 —
South Africa ended their 27-year wait for an ICC men’s trophy with a dramatic five-wicket victory over Australia in the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground. In a match where bowlers often dominated, it was Aiden Markram who stood tall, crafting a sublime century in the second innings to guide the Proteas to their maiden WTC title.

Resuming on Day 4 at 232/3, South Africa chased down the 282-run target with calm authority, finishing at 282/5, thanks largely to Markram’s 136 and Temba Bavuma’s 66 in WTC FINAL 2025.

🇿🇦 A Century for the Ages from Markram

Markram’s masterful 136 was a blend of elegance, patience, and calculated aggression — an innings that silenced Australia’s world-class attack. Facing the likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood, Markram absorbed the pressure and seized scoring opportunities with confidence.

He held firm when South Africa lost Bavuma early on Day 4 of WTC FINAL 2025 to Cummins and Tristan Stubbs soon after to Starc. With only 41 runs needed at that stage, Markram’s calm presence ensured there were no further slip-ups.

He was finally dismissed by Hazlewood with just six runs remaining — a moment that earned him a standing ovation from the Lord’s crowd. Kyle Verreynne hit the winning runs, sealing a five-wicket win and etching South Africa’s name into the annals of Test cricket history.

🏏 Final Score Summary – WTC Final 2025

Target: 282
Player of the Match: Aiden Markram (136)
Venue: Lord’s, London
Match Duration: 4 Days

🔥 Rabada’s Roar with the Ball

While Markram’s ton won hearts, Kagiso Rabada set up the platform for the win with a fiery nine-wicket haul across both innings. His ability to extract bounce and movement from the surface rattled Australia’s top and middle order repeatedly.

Rabada’s early breakthroughs and relentless pressure restricted Australia to 212 in the first innings and 207 in the second, leaving South Africa with a chase that, while tricky, was achievable.

📜 Breaking the Jinx: First ICC Men’s Trophy Since 1998

The victory marked South Africa’s first senior men’s ICC title since 1998, when they won the ICC KnockOut Trophy. After decades of near misses and heartbreaks in ICC events — including last year’s T20 World Cup Final loss to India — this triumph was as much about exorcising old ghosts as it was about winning a trophy.

Skipper Temba Bavuma, under pressure ahead of the final, played a composed knock and led his side with poise.

“This is a moment we’ve all dreamed about. To win at Lord’s, against a team like Australia, and lift our first WTC mace — it’s unforgettable,” Bavuma said at the presentation.

🧠 Match Turning Points

• Rabada’s 5-for in 1st innings turned the game after Australia got a solid start.
• South Africa’s collapse for 138 in the first innings was countered by tight bowling to keep Australia to just 207 next time out.
• Markram’s century on a deteriorating pitch was the definitive moment — he controlled the innings like a seasoned general.

🇿🇦 Proteas Playing 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 Playing 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

🏟️ Legacy of the Ultimate Test in WTC Final 2025

This WTC FINAL 2025 win is not just a championship — it’s a turning point for South African cricket. A generation of talented cricketers, led by the likes of Markram and Rabada, has now tasted success at the highest level. With this victory, the Proteas have reestablished themselves as a global powerhouse in red-ball cricket.

Report by TODAY SCOOP NEWS