NEW DELHI: South Africa secured their maiden World Test Championship title by defeating Australia by five wickets at Lord’s Cricket Ground on Saturday, marking their first-ever world title in international cricket and their second ICC trophy after the 1998 ICC Knockout.ICC Chairman Jay Shah took to X to celebrate the victory, stating: “Congratulations to @ProteasMenCSA on winning the @ICC World Test Championship! And a performance for the ages from @aramco Player of the Match Aiden Markram. The @HomeOfCricket Lord’s was a fantastic venue, and the huge crowds every day once again showed the interest in Test cricket.”Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Former Indian captain Anil Kumble praised the match quality, saying: “Test cricket at its finest. Congratulations, South Africa! A champion performance in the ICC World Test Championship.”Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara shared his congratulations on X: “Congratulations to South Africa on a historic WTC Final victory! A triumph built on resilience, skill, and unwavering determination. Test cricket at its finest.”Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh offered detailed praise: “The class of 2025 ends a 27-year wait and lifts the ICC World Test Championship Trophy in style! Huge congrats to the @ProteasMenCSA on a historic win at Lord’s. I’ve always believed there’s no greater measure of resilience and character than Test cricket, and South Africa rose to the occasion! #AidenMarkram’s century was pure class. @KagisoRabada25 @marcojansen2000 and @NgidiLungi brought relentless intensity, and #TembaBavuma led with calm and courage. A final worthy of the format, Tough luck #Australia! You know it’s okay to let go of one trophy #WTCFinal.”The victory ended Australian captain Pat Cummins’s successful run as captain, which had included retaining the Ashes against England, winning the previous World Test Championship, and securing the 50-over World Cup against India.
