London, June 14
A jubilant Dale Steyn was over the moon about South Africa winning the 2025 ICC World Test Championship, saying that he was thrilled over the side finally winning a trophy they had been striving to get for a long time.
At the Lord's, the Proteas ended 27 years of heartbreak in major cricket events to beat Australia by five wickets and win a major global ICC title. South Africa chasing down 282 was made possible by Aiden Markram making 136 while skipper Temba Bavuma hit 66.
"I felt like the support at Lord's -- especially from the English fans -- was in South Africa's favour too. Maybe it had a little to do with the Ashes rivalry, but that backing helped. This was a massive game, and the team played incredibly well. It was a perfectly structured Test match -- when it mattered, the biggest names stood up."
"KG Rabada with the wickets, Pat Cummins delivering too, Mitchell Starc with wickets and runs, Aiden Markram contributing late, and Temba Bavuma steering the side home. It was a fantastic final, I'm just thrilled for South Africa -- they've finally won a trophy they've been chasing for a long time," said JioStar expert Steyn on the Cricket Live show.
The fast-bowling great also praised South Africa's consistency and resilience in standing up to the occasion against a strong Australian outfit. "From the start of this World Test Championship cycle, South Africa knew they had to win a certain number of games to make it to the final -- and they did that, winning seven in a row, regardless of the opposition."
"It doesn't matter who you're up against, anyone who's played Test cricket will tell you that winning even a single Test match is never easy. To win seven consecutively, earn a spot in the final, and then go on to get over the line today -- that's absolutely huge."
"These are two massive teams. They've been fierce rivals for years. Australia commands a lot of respect from every South African cricketer for all that they've achieved, especially their world titles. So South Africa knew this was going to be one of their toughest tests," he elaborated.
Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden praised South Africa for making key breakthroughs, which propelled them to win the championship. "The legacy of Australian cricket -- its results and performances in ICC events -- shows how much this team thrives on the big stage. I honestly can't even remember the last time Australia lost at Lord's; it's been something like 22 years of dominance here."
"So, for this South African side, which is relatively inexperienced compared to Australia at this stage in the World Test Championship cycle, this result is phenomenal. Take someone like Lungi Ngidi -- virtually unplayable in the first innings, and then in the second, when it mattered most, he came in and dismissed Steve Smith."
"That moment was huge. Smith is such an iconic presence in the Australian setup, and from there, South Africa just kept rolling. That's what finals are all about -- finding a way," he concluded.
— IANS
Reader Comments
What a match! South Africa truly deserved this after so many heartbreaks in ICC events. As an Indian cricket fan, I can relate to their long wait for a trophy. Markram's century was pure class - reminds me of how Kohli bats in pressure situations. Hope Team India takes inspiration from this!
So happy for SA cricket fans! 🎉 They've been through so much disappointment over the years. Bavuma's leadership was outstanding - proving that Test cricket is still the ultimate format. Now waiting for India to win the next WTC cycle!
Great match but honestly disappointed with Australia's performance. They had the experience but couldn't handle the pressure. Rabada was phenomenal though - wish our Indian pacers could be this consistent in overseas conditions.
Test cricket at its best! This is why we need to preserve the longest format. The battle between Rabada and Smith was worth waking up at 3 AM to watch. Hope BCCI takes note and prepares better pitches for Test matches in India too.
Steyn is right about the English crowd supporting SA - even we Indians would cheer against Australia after all those Ashes battles! 😄 But seriously, this win shows how important mental strength is in cricket. SA overcame their "chokers" tag in style.
While I'm happy for South Africa, this match again showed why we need more Test cricket between top nations. Only 2-3 matches per series isn't enough. ICC should ensure all teams play equal number of Tests in WTC cycle. Fairness matters in determining the best Test team.
Here are 6 authentic Indian perspective comments for the article: We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.