Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting lavished praise on Aiden Markram for his match-winning century in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at iconic Lord's Stadium in England. South Africa defeated Australia by five wickets to seal their first ICC title after 27 years.
After South Africa's dominating win against Australia in the WTC Final 2025, Ponting praised Aiden Markram's century that helped the Proteas to lift the mace, placing the knock among the best centuries that he could recall on the big stage.
"When you look back through big ICC events, I think the first thing that probably comes to mind is World Cup finals," Ponting told ICC Digital.
Ponting compared Markram's 136-run knock with Australia's destructive batter Travis Head's performance against India in the ODI World Cup and WTC Final against India where he single-handedly changed the game in his favour.
"And then probably Travis Head's innings (137) in the World Cup (2023) final, and then the last World Test Championship final (163). And this one is got to be absolutely as good as any of those, considering the stage, considering where South African cricket's been over the last couple of years, particularly their Test side," he added.
This was the first time that South Africa managed to make it to the WTC final; they missed their spot in the last two editions of the mega event, which were won by New Zealand and Australia, respectively. The team found a new direction under the pairing of head coach Shukri Conrad and skipper Temba Bavuma in January 2023. The Lord's win was their eighth successive victory in Tests, one short of their personal best.
"To be able to stand up and perform like that when your team needs you the most is what reputations are made of. I think everyone has always known how good a player Markram was," Ponting added.
"And I must admit, a couple of years ago, when South Africa toured Australia, I could not believe that Aiden Markram was not in that touring squad at all. He did not even make the squad."
"And here we are a couple of years later and he has played one of probably his greatest knocks. I am sure if you asked him, he would probably say that that is the knock that he is most proud of in his Test career, and I am pretty sure his teammates who watched it all unfold would probably say the same thing."
"So, it is a great individual achievement for him, and it's a magnificent achievement for the South African team," he concluded.
Coming back to the match, South Africa won the toss and opted to bowl first. It was pacers' domination in the first session as fiery spells from Rabada (5/51) and Marco Jansen (3/49) reduced Australia to 67/4. However, Steve Smith (66 in 112 balls, with 10 fours) and Beau Webster (72 in 92 balls, with 11 fours) put up a 79-run stand and a 46-run stand between Carey (23 in 31 balls, with four boundaries) and Webster, which took Australia to 212 all out.
While coming to bat in second inning, South Africa failed to get a good start as Hazlewood and Starc picked up two early wickets, Australia reduced South Africa to 43/4 at day one end, with Bavuma (3*) and Bedingham (0*) unbeaten. A six-fer from skipper Pat Cummins (6/28) helped Australia bundle out Proteas for 138 runs and secure a 74-run lead, despite a half-century run-stand between skipper Temba Bavuma (36 in 84 balls, with four boundaries and a six) and David Bedingham (45 in 111 balls, with six fours).
In the second innings, Australia were 73/7, but a 61-run stand between Alex Carey (46 in 50 balls, with five fours) and Mitchell Starc (58* in 136 balls, with five fours), who also put a last wicket stand of 59 runs with Josh Hazlewood. Australia was bundled out for 207 runs, leading by 281 runs.
In the run chase, Proteas lost Ryan Rickelton early, but a 61-run stand between Wiaan Mulder (27 in 50 balls, with five fours) and Markram put Proteas on track. An even gigantic, frustrating 147-run stand between Markram (136 in 207 balls, with 14 fours) and captain Bavuma (66 in 134 balls, with five fours) followed, rattling Australia. Despite Starc (3/63) attempting to keep Aussies alive, Kyle Verreyne hit the winning runs for South Africa to take them to their first ICC title since the ICC Knockout 1998.