The photo to hang up on your wall forever. Temba Bavuma lifts the World Test Championship mace aloft. The Proteas burst into celebration. They topped the WTC 2023-25 standings, and they performed admirably in the final. Well deserved!

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Temba Bavuma: "There were doubts about the route we took to reach the final. Hopefully, after this win, those doubts have been quashed. It has been a special couple of days. At times, it felt like we were back in South Africa with the amount of support in the stands."

The South African players are going up to collect their medals now. Huge roars from everyone in the crowd for each player, even the ones who didn't play. Bedingham, Markram, Ngidi, Rabada and co. And a huge roar for captain Temba Bavuma, who will speak now.

What a moment for Temba Bavuma. He is now an ICC title-winning captain. At the age of 35, he defied the odds, fought through injury, and played an incredible knock of 66 in the run chase. Not to forget, his valuable 36 in the first innings.

Aiden Markram: "Weird how things work out, you get a duck. Ultimately you get luck and it worked out. It will yes. Lord's is a place where every Test cricketer wants to play. Plenty of South African fans were there and it was one of those special days."

Australia would've been slight favourites heading into the match. A nation that almost never loses an ICC final will have to taste bitter defeat. Memorable performances from Starc and Cummins, gritty knocks by Smith and Webster. Remember, they had a 74-run first innings lead. They've just been denied by a superb effort from SA.

Aiden Markram is the Player of the Match for the WTC Final 2025. So, so well deserved. Not only did he recover from a duck in the first innings to slam a memorable 136 and take his team to victory, but he also took the crucial wicket of Steve Smith in the first innings, and the final wicket in the 2nd innings! 

Keshav Maharaj is in tears as he speaks about the journey of South Africa and thanks the fans. Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen are elated. 'Un-freaking-believable' says Jansen on Markram's knock. Kyle Verreyne says how nervous he was when he came out to bat. Jubilation. Emotion. Incredible scenes.

South Africa have clinched their first major ICC title in 27 years. They've fought past the heartbreak of the T20 World Cup 2024 final loss, and finally have their hands on the WTC Test mace. HISTORY.

And there it is! The winning runs from Kyle Verreyne! Slapped through the off-side, and SOUTH AFRICA ARE WORLD TEST CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS! Delight, tears of joy up the Lord's Balcony. South Africa win by 5 wickets!

SA 285/5 (83.4) - beat Australia by 5 wickets

Kyle Verreyne goes for a scoop shot to win it in style, but misses it and is caught behind by Alex Carey. Big appeal from the wicket-keeper, but they have no reviews left! And guess what, it did hit the bat, so opportunity lost.

SA 281/5 (83.2)

Scores are level! South Africa need 1 more run to win the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 title. Kyle Verreyne takes a single on the last ball of the over, he'll get to hit the winning runs. 1 to go!

SA 281/5 (83)

Two singles on the first two balls of the Hazlewood over now. The dream is getting closer and closer to reality for South Africa. The Proteas are just 2 runs away now from the historic moment. The crowd is cheering on every single run here.

SA 280/5 (82.2)

Another over ends. South Africa inch closer to their first major ICC title since 1998. Kyle Verreyne is off the mark on the final delivery of the Starc over, and will keep strike as Hazlewood comes back in. 4 to win!

SA 278/5 (82)

It's down to 5 runs to win. David Bedingham takes a quick single, and puts new batter Kyle Verreyne on strike. Mitchell Starc is steaming in now, his first over with the second new ball. 5 runs to win for SA, 5 wickets to win for Australia.

SA 277/5 (81.2)

OUT! Aiden Markram is gone! Jabs it towards Travis Head at mid-wicket, who takes a sharp catch. He walks off the ground to a huge round of applause, out on 136. He's played the most important knock of his career. Etched his name into South African cricket history.

SA 276/5 (81)

Another single! Aiden Markram can finish it off here. Just six more to win, just one more hit away from glory. 

SA 276/4 (80.5)

New ball? No problem, says Aiden Markram. First delivery from Josh Hazlewod, whipped away through mid-wicket by Markram. Next ball, once again he targets the same region, and they run three. SA need 7 more!

SA 275/4 (80.2)

80 overs gone, and Australia will roll the dice one final time. They're taking the second new ball, but they need more than a miracle to win this from here. South Africa need 14 runs, Australia need 6 wickets!

SA 268/4 (80)

Bedingham's jab seems to have been caught spectacularly by Travis Head on the second attempt, but the umpires take a review to see whether the ball bounced off his foot or the ground. Replays confirm it was off the ground, and Bedingham survives.

SA 264/4 (77.3)

What a shot, David Bedingham! Down the ground, glorious timing. Past mid-on, and draws a huge applause from the crowd. The target is getting nearer and nearer. Singles off the next delivery, SA are 18 runs away.

SA 264/4 (77)

Terrific running by South Africa! Amazing intent shown by Markram to complete a third run. Bedingham plays the ball deftly down fine-leg, and the batters scamper 3. Markram has spent more than 6 hours at the crease, but the hunger is still there.

SA 255/4 (75.2)

South Africa need 30 more runs to win, with 75 overs done in their innings. We are 5 overs away from the new ball, which will be Australia's last roll of the dice to try and make a comeback. Markram and Bedingham look solid so far.

SA 252/4 (75)

Desperate DRS review again. Third and final of the innings. They've used them all up now. Starc strikes Bedingham on the pads, it's fairly high, but they still went for it. Hawkeye shows impact not on target. SA 35 away.

SA 247/4 (73)

Top effort in the field! Sure-shot boundary from Markram's bat saved by Marnus Labuschagne at short cover. Ends up saving 3 runs in the end. Next ball, David Bedingham swings hard, goes towards third man. They run 3 now. 36 more to get!

SA 246/4 (72.2)

GONE! Mitchell Starc hits back right away! Terrific delivery, angling in, right between Stubbs' bat and pads and the stumps are rattled. Third wicket of the innings for Mitchell Starc, you just can't deny him in a big game.

SA 241/4 (70.3)

Close! Tristan Stubbs misses a pull shot, caught behind by Alex Carey, who urges Cummins to go up with a DRS review. It turns out to be much closer than it looked initially, but no glove. Stubbs survives.

SA 241/3 (70.2)

Slow but steady. That seems to be the mantra for the South African batters right now. They've made just 22 runs today in one hour of play, but still have 7 wickets in hand, and are firmly on the front foot. Starc has come back into the attack, and bowled a maiden.

SA 235/3 (68)

Big shout from Pat Cummins, trapping Tristan Stubbs on the pads. Umpire says not out, but Cummins takes a desperate DRS review. Hawkeye shows the ball clearly missing the stumps. Next ball, Markram stands tall and pulls it to the fence for 4! SA 50 runs away from glory.

SA 232/3 (65)

Tristan Stubbs, the new man at the crease, gets off the mark on his 7th ball. Taking it slow and steady. A star in white-ball cricket nowadays, particularly T20s, but he has to show his mettle and guide SA home. 

SA 225/3 (62)

With the ball now being very old and soft, Mitchell Starc has not been handed it at the start of today's play. Cummins and Hazlewood opening the bowling. Starc has taken two wickets in this innings, but has conceded runs at nearly run-a-ball.

SA 222/3 (61)

Aiden Markram drives it sweetly through the covers! Backfoot punch, no chance for the fielder at deep point. South Africa need 60 more runs to win. It's getting closer and closer, and as long as the set Markram is there, they're favourites!

SA 222/3 (60.3)

Big wicket! Temba Bavuma departs! Australia strike early on Day 4, and they'll feel a glimmer of hope now. Pat Cummins with a deceptive delivery, a soft edge from Bavuma and Alex Carey takes the catch. Still 7 wickets left!

SA 217/3 (59)

Impeccable running effort by Temba Bavuma! The South African captain is still hobbling along, but him and Markram manage to run three! Excellent work. Bavuma has displayed a sensational amount of grit all throughout his innings. 

SA 217/2 (58.3)

Josh Hazlewood takes the ball from the other end and bowls a maiden over. Cautious start by South Africa. They know that the target is near, and there is no need to take any untoward risks at this point. Solid defence from Temba Bavuma, who had a big strapping on earlier in the day, and is presumably still battling along with his injury.

SA 214/2 (58)

Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram will the start proceedings for South Africa. They are chasing history here. Pat Cummins will bowl the first over. Can he spoil SA's party today?

It rained last night but its bright and sunny currently at Lord's. The players arrived early today for a morning session that might decide the course of the title clash! Dale Steyn predicts Australia will take two to three wickets before South Africa get over the line.

On the other end will be Aiden Markram (102* runs off 159 balls), who scripted history by becoming the first Proteas batter to score a hundred in an ICC tournament final. He also became the fourth batter after Jacques Kallis (113* against Sri Lanka in the 1998 ICC Knockout semifinal against SL), Herschelle Gibbs (116* against India in CT 2002 semifinals), and David Miller (101 against Australia in the World Cup 2023 semifinal) to hit a century for SA in ICC knockout matches.

Steve Smith dropped Bavuma on two and dislocated his finger in the process. Bavuma made full use of the reprieve despite damaging his hamstring in the afternoon session. South Africa batting coach Ashwell Prince admitted they considered retiring him during the tea interval but the captain insisted he could carry on and he hit five boundaries in a 121-ball knock.

"It is not done yet, but he has had to fight throughout his career, and this could be a defining moment for his career," Prince added. "It is the biggest stage in Test cricket. He is tough, Aiden has great respect for Temba, and I think this team's greatest asset is the unity."

The live visuals shows, Bavuma is warming up. But he has got a strapping on his left hamstring. he suffered from a lot of pain, but batted through with lot of grit. He is a fierce competitor. He looks fit to bat today. The SA captain will put everything on line to take his team over the line today!

A recap of what has happened so far! In the first innings, Australia were all out for 212 with Kagiso Rabada picking a five-wicket haul. Things looked bad for the Proteas as they conceded a 74-run lead after getting out for 138 with Pat Cummins starring with a six-wicket haul. 

In the second innings, Rabada took four wickets while Lungi Ngidi took three wickets as Australia were all out for 207. The 282-run target, however, looked daunting for South Africa but their captain Temba Bavuma (65*) and Aiden Markram (102*) ensured the side go into the fourth day of the WTC final, requiring only 69 runs to win. 

Hello and welcome! The WTC Final will be decided today! South Africa need 69 runs for a famous victory while Australia bowlers face an uphill task of taking eight wickets. The odds are favoring South Africa here!