Temba Bavuma Speaks After Winning WTC Final: Brandished as the skipper of the new World Test Champions, South Africa Test captain Temba Bavuma got emotional as he spoke of the heartbreaks and disappointments the Proteas cricket team has suffered for a long time at ICC events.
South Africa finally ended their voodoo at ICC events by defeating Pat Cummins’ Australia, the defending world Test champions, at Lord’s by 5 wickets to clinch their first ICC title after 27 years, with the ICC Knockout Trophy being their only world title at the senior men’s level until they clinched the ICC Test mace.
Australia had started this final as favorites, with many doubters also questioning South Africa’s route to the final: they featured in only two-match Test series, drew at home to India, and faced neither England nor Australia.
However, Bavuma’s team played like a team on a mission. Despite conceding a 74-run first innings deficit, South Africa didn’t allow Australia to run away with the game; even when Starc and Hazlewood put on a half-century 10th-wicket stand, the belief ignited that the pitch and conditions had gotten much better to bat on, which they had.
In the post-match presentation ceremony, After South Africa won the Trophy, Temba Bavuma said,
“It has been a special couple of days, felt like we were back home in South Africa with the support we have had. Special moment for us as a team, special moment back home, will take a couple of days to sink in. The energy was there, we have been wanting this as a team, we have been knocking on the door, we have gone through the heartache, the disappointments, seen it with the past players, and the sun is on us. Hopefully, this is one of many.”
“Us a team, we got ourselves into the final. There were doubters with the route we took, supposedly beating weaker teams. This is for them.”
Rabada will be in the ICC Hall of Fame: Temba Bavuma Speaks After Winning WTC Final
Temba Bavuma spoke of South Africa’s two premier heroes of the final: Kagiso Rabada and Aiden Markram. Rabada took 9 wickets in the match for 110 runs.
Bavuma predicted that the 30-year-old Rabada, who has 336 wickets under his belt in 71 Tests at an average of 21, is a future ICC Hall of Famer!
“KG is a massive player; in a couple of years he will be in the ICC Hall of Fame. He was under controversy, but he did what he does,” Bavuma predicted.
Markram, who has often been under criticism for his place in the Test team, produced one of the most momentous centuries in the history of South African cricket, his 136 being the guide to South Africa chasing 282.
The Protea captain said of Markram, “Markram was unbelievable; stats are important, but character is what we look at, and Aiden has that. Another massive player for us.”
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