Who knew South Africa would go on to gun down the World no.1 mighty Australian side to not only win the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-2025 title but also end their long and painful 27-year-long wait of lifting the ICC trophy. Temba Bavuma's South Africa did exactly the same as they hammered Australia by five wickets in the WTC 2023-2025 final at Lord's to win their first ICC title in 27 years after Champions Trophy 1998 glory. Despite entering the final as underdogs, the Proteas delivered a commanding performance, completely outplaying the defending champions. The successful chase of 282 runs was anchored by a brilliant partnership between Aiden Markram, who scored a magnificent 136, and captain Temba Bavuma, who contributed a crucial 66 runs, ultimately leading South Africa to a five-wicket victory. Earlier in the match, Kagiso Rabada's exceptional bowling had restricted Australia to scores of 212 and 207 in their two innings. While Pat Cummins' impressive six-wicket haul had put South Africa under pressure in the first innings by bowling them out for 138, it proved to be Australia's last moment of dominance as South Africa seized control of the game thereafter.
Temba Bavuma's historic feat
Temba Bavuma's captaincy has been instrumental for South Africa, and this victory against Australia has further solidified his leadership credentials by establishing a remarkable record. Bavuma has now surpassed Australia's Warwick Armstrong, who captained from 1920-21, to become the only captain in the history of Test cricket to achieve nine wins without suffering a single loss. He is also only the second captain to remain unbeaten after leading in 10 Test matches. Additionally, Bavuma stands as the second-quickest captain to reach nine Test victories, only trailing Percy Chapman in this achievement.
| Player | Matches As Captain | Wins | Losses | Draws |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temba Bavuma (South Africa) | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| Warwick Armstrong (Australia) | 10 | 8 | 0 | 2 |
| Brian Close (England) | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| Charles Fry (England) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Ajinkya Rahane (India) | 6 | 4 | 0 |
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Under Temba Bavuma's leadership, South Africa's nine Test match victories were achieved against a range of international teams. Four of these wins came against the West Indies, while Sri Lanka and Pakistan each faced two defeats at the hands of the Proteas. The ninth and most significant victory in this unbeaten streak was the memorable World Test Championship final triumph against Australia.
| Match No. | Opponent | Venue | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | West Indies | Centurion | Feb 28–Mar 4, 2023 | Won by 87 runs |
| 2nd Test | West Indies | Johannesburg | Mar 8–12, 2023 | Won by 284 runs |
| 3rd Test | India | Cape Town | Dec 26–30, 2023 | Won by Inns and 32 runs |
| 4th Test | West Indies | Port of Spain | Aug 7–11, 2024 | Draw |
| 5th Test | West Indies | Providence | Aug 15–19, 2024 | Won by 40 runs |
| 6th Test | Sri Lanka | Durban | Nov 27–Dec 1, 2024 | Won by 233 runs |
| 7th Test | Sri Lanka | Gqeberha | Dec 5–9, 2024 | Won by 109 runs |
| 8th Test | Pakistan | Centurion | Dec 26–30, 2024 | Won by 2 wickets |
| 9th Test | Pakistan | Cape Town | Jan 3–7, 2025 | Won by 10 wickets |
| 10th Test | Australia | Lord's | June 11–14, 2025 | Won by 5 Wickets |