South Africa has achieved a monumental milestone in their cricketing history, clinching their first major International Cricket Council (ICC) trophy in 27 years by defeating Australia by five wickets in the World Test Championship final. The historic triumph, which unfolded at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground in London on June 14, 2025, marked a significant end to the Proteas' long-standing jinx in global tournaments, sparking jubilant celebrations among players and fans alike.

The victory was spearheaded by a brilliant century from opening batsman Aiden Markram, who scored a magnificent 136 runs, one of the most crucial knocks of his career. Captain Temba Bavuma, despite playing with an injured hamstring, displayed remarkable resilience with a vital 66 runs. Their crucial 147-run partnership for the third wicket after South Africa had struggled for much of the first three days, laid the foundation for the record chase. Complementing their batting heroics was the exceptional bowling performance of Kagiso Rabada, who was instrumental throughout the match, securing a five-wicket haul in the first innings and ending the match with a total of nine wickets.

The much-anticipated final commenced on June 11, with South Africa winning the toss and opting to bowl first. Australia, the defending champions, were put under immediate pressure as Rabada struck twice early on. Despite a crucial partnership between Steve Smith and Beau Webster, who both reached half-centuries in challenging batting conditions (Webster scoring 72), Australia collapsed from 67/4 to be bowled out for 212. Rabada, returning to clear the tail, completed his second five-wicket haul at Lord's as Australia lost their last five wickets for just 20 runs. In response, South Africa’s first innings saw their top order crumble against Pat Cummins, who took five wickets to get his name on the Lord’s honours' board. The Proteas were bundled out for just 138 runs, conceding a 74-run lead to Australia.

Australia's second innings presented another challenging spell for their batters, with Rabada and Lungi Ngidi dismantling their top and middle order, reducing them to 73/7 and later 132/8. However, on Day 3, a defiant partnership between Mitchell Starc (unbeaten 58) and Josh Hazlewood added a crucial 59 runs, pushing Australia’s total to 207 and setting South Africa a target of 282 runs to win. Although South Africa lost opener Ryan Rickelton early in their chase, Markram and Bavuma absorbed the pressure, ending Day 3 in a strong position and setting the stage for a dramatic final day.

Resuming Day 4 on 213-2, South Africa needed 69 runs with eight wickets in hand. The chase was not without its anxious moments. Captain Pat Cummins provided a glimmer of hope for Australia by dismissing Temba Bavuma early in the day, caught behind for 66. The tension further mounted when Mitchell Starc bowled Tristan Stubbs, leaving South Africa with 41 runs still required. However, Aiden Markram remained composed, guiding his team to within six runs of victory before being caught by Travis Head off Josh Hazlewood. It was Kyle Verreynne who ultimately sealed the historic win, stroking a drive through the covers off Starc, igniting an eruption of celebrations. This chase became the joint second-highest successful run chase in Test cricket at Lord's, a testament to South Africa's composure under immense pressure.

This World Test Championship triumph is profoundly significant for South African cricket, ending decades of trauma and near misses in major global finals. The team has famously carried the 'chokers' tag due to a painful history of knockout defeats, including the 1999 World Cup semi-final, the 2003 World Cup, the 2011 World Cup quarter-final, the 2015 World Cup semi-final, the 2022 T20 World Cup, the 2023 Cricket World Cup semi-final, and most recently, the 2024 T20 World Cup final. Former Proteas captain Shaun Pollock articulated the national sentiment, stating, “Years in the waiting… [against] the biggest opposition, in Australia… now the exclamation mark of an ICC event.” The victory, achieved against a formidable Australian side, represents not just a cricketing achievement but a moment of profound national pride and unity for South Africa, proving that their current team, under Bavuma's leadership, has unequivocally shaken off the infamous tag.