London, June 14 (UNI) South Africa captain Temba Bavuma sent out a strong and emotional message to critics after his team’s historic five-wicket win over Australia in the ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord’s on Saturday, dedicating the victory to those who had questioned their path to the summit clash.
“As a team we got ourselves into the final, there were doubters with the route we took, supposedly beating weaker teams. This is for them,” Bavuma said, moments after South Africa lifted their first senior ICC trophy in 27 years.
The Proteas had faced scrutiny over their qualification, with detractors pointing to their wins against lower-ranked teams. But they responded in the most emphatic fashion — chasing down 278 on the final day and toppling a dominant Australian side on the grandest stage in red-ball cricket.
Aiden Markram stood tall with a defiant century in the second innings, anchoring the chase with a mix of elegance and grit. Bavuma heaped praise on his fellow batsman: “Markram was unbelievable. Stats are important, but character is what we look at — and Aiden has that. Another massive player for us.”
The captain also singled out star pacer Kagiso Rabada, who turned the game with a fiery second-innings spell after being under the scanner in the lead-up to the final. “KG is a massive player. In a couple of years, he will be in the ICC Hall of Fame. He was under controversy, but he did what he does,” said Bavuma.
Reflecting on the broader meaning of the win, Bavuma struck a deeply emotional chord. “It has been a special couple of days, felt like we were back home in South Africa with the support we have had,” he said. “Special moment for us as a team, special moment back home, will take a couple of days to sink in.”
But it was this line that captured the essence of South Africa’s long, painful wait for global silverware: “We have gone through the heartache, the disappointments, seen it with the past players — and the sun is on us.”
South Africa’s journey to the top had been riddled with near-misses and heartbreaks — from World Cup collapses to semifinal exits, but Saturday’s win marked the dawn of a new chapter.
“The energy was there. We’ve been wanting this as a team. We’ve been knocking on the door,” Bavuma said, hinting that this could be the start of something bigger. “Hopefully this is one of many.”
Back home, the streets and townships of South Africa are expected to erupt in celebration, with fans finally getting closure on a decades-long quest for glory.
