Pietersen Hails Markram For WTC Heroics: 'Best Innings Any South African'
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Kevin Pietersen praised Aiden Markram's century against Australia in the World Test Championship final as the finest by a South African.
Former England captain Kevin Pietersen hailed Proteas opener Aiden Markram's century against Australia in the World Test Championship final as the finest innings ever played by a South African batter in Test cricket. Markram's 136 from 207 balls propelled South Africa to a five-wicket victory, ending a 27-year drought for an ICC trophy.
Markram made his test debut at age 22, heartbreakingly run out on 97, and has since scored eight centuries and 13 fifties. But his average of 36.50 has been below expectations.
He came into the WTC final without a century in his last 16 test knocks and failed to get on the board in the first innings.
Markram's knock at Lord's took the country to their first major cricketing triumph after decades of failure and ensured Markram a place in South African sporting folklore.
Pietersen, speaking as a JioStar expert, said, 'Probably the best innings any South African batter has ever played in Test match cricket. It might not be the most attacking or entertaining in South Africa's Test history, but considering the expectation, the stage, and the pressure after failing in the first innings, it was extraordinary. Whether you're a batter or a bowler, the pressure to deliver when your country is counting on you is immense."
He highlighted Markram's resilience despite the early loss of Ryan Rickelton. 'He still went on to produce something truly magnificent. It's hard to even describe the kind of pressure he was under," added Pietersen, who has South African roots.
South African pacer Kagiso Rabada, whose nine-wicket haul contributed significantly to the win, lauded Markram as a 'big-match player'. He said, 'Aiden is a big-match player. The way he held his ground with such resolve was remarkable. His presence, the way he dominated his space, and stuck to his game plan without wavering was brilliant."
Rabada admired Markram's concentration. 'You still had to bat really well on that pitch — it wasn't one where you could afford to be loose. They set off-side and leg-side traps, but he navigated all of it throughout his innings."
(With inputs from PTI)
First Published:
June 14, 2025, 23:17 IST
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