WTC Final 2025: Aiden Markram’s magnificent 136 guides South Africa to first ICC title in 27 Years, one of the greatest final innings in history.
Aiden Markram flicked Josh Hazlewood into the mid-wicket region and saw the ball rolling to the boundary. The entire Lord’s stood on its feet and appreciated the supreme knock. Even a few Australian players clapped. Markram smiled, raising his arms and removing his helmet to recognize the most significant red-ball century in his career and perhaps in South Africa’s history.
The Proteas were six runs off the historic moment during the extended fourth-morning session when Markram missed a fairytale finish. Time almost stood still as he took his moment before walking off on 136-run future-defining knock. Every single opponent player came up to congratulate the opener for the remarkable knock under pressure.
Aiden Markram and South Africa fighting against all odds
Markram’s century registers his name in the annals of South Africa’s cricket history. However, there was immense pressure for both him and the Rainbow Nation. The last-wicket partnership for the defending champions added 59 runs on better batting conditions than the previous two days.
A few Protea players looked mentally broken. After all, they would have to earn success in the second-highest chase at Lord’s. South Africa’s current T20I captain came into the second innings with a duck on his name. He chopped a Mitchell Starc in-swinging delivery onto the stumps.
Markram’s form was iffy in the lead-up to the game, with 13 off 15 balls in the warm-up fixture. He is the second-most experienced member of the side in the top seven after captain Temba Bavuma. That puts him in a place to shoulder a massive responsibility from the moment he padded up.
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A Test century for the ages by Aiden amarkram in a run chase by South Africa that will be long remembered
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) June 13, 2025
Aiden Markram’s dominating start scared Australia
In England’s swinging conditions, a player needs to play the ball late and under the eyes. For nailing the boundaries, it becomes important to keep the ball in the square region. Aiden Markram made the mistake of going hard at the delivery in the first inning. However, he was sharp with the technical change in the second.
It was a gentle push from the right-handed opener to open his account against Starc on the very first ball. Unlike the first innings, they showed intent against high-quality bowling. Even after the first-over dismissal of his partner, Ryan Rickelton, Markram didn’t hold back.
The Centurion-born took his chances. He punched Hazlewood off the backfoot through the covers before driving Starc through point. Once Australia went for the magic deliveries, Markram used the pace of the deliveries for the leg-sided boundaries. They suddenly reached 47/1 in ten overs thanks to the opener’s 18 runs off the first 21 balls.
Meanwhile, Wiaan Mulder’s dismissal and Bavuma’s hamstring injury before Tea raised the question of whether the 30-year-old would change his mindset. He didn’t and also made sure they kept ticking the scorecard. A mistimed drive post-tea carried him to a half-century. But the job was half done.
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Aiden Markram plays the most important inning of his career and the most significant knock for his nation. Markram and South Africa get a new image. After today, they wouldn't be taken lightly in crunch games. Not the chokers anymore.
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) June 14, 2025
The Centurion Prince writes South Africa’s history
Ashwell Prince, the batting coach, confirmed that they focused on playing close to the body. With two months of continuous IPL and T20 cricket, batters tend to throw their bat at the wide deliveries. For a half-an-hour period, Cummins and Hazlewood challenged both Markram and Bavuma with threatening spells.
But the former was in no mood to leave the middle. Once he got comfortable against Nathan Lyon’s turning deliveries, he smartly pushed for the singles and doubles. However, he spent 22 balls in the 90s as tension grew between among the fans and in the dressing room.
But seven balls before the end of the day’s play, Markram celebrated a rare moment with a mix of joy and seriousness. He completed the target for himself, but not for South Africa yet.
“We certainly know that he’s someone for the big occasion. He played an unbelievable innings (at Newlands against India). Everybody else was struggling, and he got a hundred on that surface. So we know what he’s capable of.” Prince said at the end of the third day’s play.
From getting dropped recently during the 2022-23 Australia trip to celebrating the third-most fourth-innings Test century (03), Markram wrote his own story. With 69 runs required on the fourth and expectedly the final day of the WTC 2023-25 season, eyes were still on the veteran.
With Bavuma’s wicket, Australia made the slightest comeback in the game. Their bet was on the second new ball, which created issues for the batters. But Markram creamed the pitched-up Hazlewood delivery through mid-wicket for not only a boundary but a loud message.
He continues his love affair with this opponent thanks to the most Test runs (616 in 10 innings) for South Africa since Jan 2015. It was a shame that he couldn’t carry them home at Lord’s. But the reaction of the Australia players and the cheer around the ground was enough to complete the story. The Centurion prince has his moment to cherish, that everyone will remember.
What a special innings by Aidan Markram .. At the most important time against a World class attack he has produced one of the finest tons in a final .. This is a huge moment for a S.A Cricket .. 2025 is certainly the year of the under dog .. maybe that will continue for the Ashes
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) June 13, 2025
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