South Africa defeated Australia by five wickets in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final, thanks to Aiden Markram’s incredible century. This was their first ICC victory in 27 years.
Here’s what the South African players and head coach had to say about the momentous triumph.
Kagiso Rabada: I can’t express how I feel. We are quite pleased; we planned properly and worked hard. We deserve to be here. People claimed we hadn’t met substantial opposition, which is false. We have to bring our A-game this time to beat Australia. Thank you to everyone for their support; the last four days felt like a home game.
Ryan Rickelton: Walking out in the fourth inning was always going to be difficult. The wicket is trying to look a little better. They batted brilliantly. Aiden’s was one of the best innings I’ve ever witnessed. The enormity of the occasion against such a skilled attacker was unique.
Shukri Conrad: My emotions are worse than Kesh’s. I am thrilled for the boys. This is for S.A. To be able to deliver this is simply remarkable. We received the ideal hitting conditions. 280 was always going to be a tough challenge. But the two pros, Aiden and Temba, stood tall and got us through. I was the one who said Temba shouldn’t bat (after his injury), but the partnership was essential, and they knew better than the coaches.
A tearful Keshav Maharaj: It’s a pleasure to lift the cup on behalf of everyone here and back home. In the previous five days, everyone has been united, which is what the country is all about. We are really grateful as a squad, as a nation, and as a proud country. I believe my emotions would have pushed me in the correct direction if I had gotten into bat. Thank you to everyone who has supported us; we have overcome adversity. We honour those who came before us; may this be a stepping stone to bigger things to come.
Lungi Ngidi: I’m speechless right now. The other evening, that spell was poised to break the game’s opening. The enthusiasm kept me going. I can’t say much right now. I’m quite proud of what the boys have accomplished. There have been a lot of emotions, and the blood pressure is fairly high.
Marco Jansen: I don’t know what to say; I was sitting there praying, and thankfully, we got the job done. There were a lot of anxieties in the changing room, and a lot of men were silent, but having the fans applauding every single run was fantastic. I can’t believe Markram and Temba took us home. The stuff that dreams are composed of.
David Bedingham: Amazing. We were quite worried, but the way Aiden and Temba handled things calmed us down. Thank heavens we made it over the queue. The sun is a huge factor, and we were lucky with the weather. It’s been 27 years, and I’m grateful we got through it.
Kyle Verreynne: I’m just relieved. I was watching in the morning and thought, “I don’t want to bat.” I was the most nervous I’d ever been when I walked through the middle. (Win) It means a lot. You can hear the entire ground singing. You’re probably getting a little emotional right now. It’s incredible.
