'South Africa found calm in the storm...': Sachin hails Proteas maiden WTC title win
New Delhi [India], June 14 (ANI): Indian cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar hailed South Africa on their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) win, saying that format continues to weave its magic and hailed Aiden Markram's "composure" and skipper Temba Bavuma's "grit" after scoring vital knocks for their side.
SA ended their 27-year wait for an ICC Trophy since the ICC Knockout 1998, securing their first-ever world title in any format by defeating Australia by five wickets. This was a result of a memorable partnership between centurion Markram and skipper Bavuma, the latter batting despite hamstring issues.
Sachin posted on his X, "Test cricket continues to weave its magic. In a final where every session had its own story, @ProteasMenCSA found calm in the storm. Markram's composure and Bavuma's grit under pressure stood tall in the fourth innings. A century that will be remembered, a partnership that turned hope into history. Congratulations to South Africa on becoming World Test Champions!"
Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers also hailed the Proteas for their win and skipper Bavuma for leading the team with "fire and ice". He was in attendance for the match as well.
"Congratulations @ProteasMenCSA Fantastic win and so well played! Hats off to Markram for that match-winning century, and Temba for leading with such ice and fire all through. What an incredible experience of watching this beautiful format of the game! The built up drama, the slow anticipation, and the sweet victory to end it all were moments to savour.. and to experience that with my two boys thrilled and on their toes -- couldn't have imagined it better than this. Go Proteas!," posted De Villiers on X.
Former Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan and middle-order veteran Suresh Raina also congratulated the Proteas on their win.
"Congratulations to @TembaBavuma and the entire South African team on becoming the World Test Champions! 27 years in the making, and a moment that will be remembered for generations. Well done, boys! #WTCFinal2025," posted Dhawan.
https://x.com/SDhawan25/status/1933875597102461228 Raina also posted, "Congratulations @ProteasMenCSA. What an incredible win, and such a class play by Markram and the team! Well done Temba and the squad! You deserve this! #WtcFinal2025."
Former England pacer Stuart Broad also posted on X, "South Africa! Congratulations. Very happy for you all."
Notably, Broad served as a consultant for team's bowling group ahead of the WTC final match.
Coming to the match, on day one, the Proteas won the toss and opted to bowl first. They dominated the first session with the ball, as fiery spells from Rabada (5/51) and Marco Jansen (3/49) reduced Australia to 67/4. A 79-run stand between Steve Smith (66 in 112 balls, with 10 fours) and Beau Webster (72 in 92 balls, with 11 fours) and a 46-run stand between Carey (23 in 31 balls, with four boundaries) and Webster took Australia to 212 all out.
With the help of early two wickets from Starc and contributions from Cummins and Hazlewood helped 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 their second innings, Australia was reduced to 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.
Rabada (4/59) and Ngidi (3/38) were the pick of the bowlers for South Africa.
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 skipper 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.
Markram took home the 'Player of the Match' award. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Angelo Mathews Last Dance: Sri Lanka Announce Squad For Bangladesh Tests, Make Wholesale Changes; Check Whos In, Whos Out
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced the squad for the upcoming Bangladesh Test series, starting on June 17 in Galle. The series will kick off the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle. Amidst all the squads and matchups, all eyes will be on Sri Lankan veteran all-rounder Angelo Mathews as the first Test will be his last for Sri Lanka in whites. The legend will hang his boots from Test cricket after the first match scheduled to play at Galle International Cricket stadium. Sri Lanka's Overhaul Post Australia Tour Sri Lanka suffered badly against Australia, failing to even give a fight in the series despite it being their home ground. Australia thrashed SL 2-0 at their home ground and what followed is the overhaul in team selection, keeping an eye on the future. SL has dropped five players - Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ramesh Mendis, Nishan Peiris, Vishwa Fernando, and Jeffrey Vandersay after disappointing performance in the last series. Interestingly 6 uncapped players will make their way to the team, announcing a new era. The 18-member squad has these new faces - Lahiru Udara, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Pawan Ratnayake, Tharindu Ratnayake and Isitha Wijesundara. Sri Lanka Squad For Bangladesh Test Series Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Pavan Rathnayake, Prabath Jayasuriya, Tharindu Ratnayake, Akila Dananjaya, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Isitha Wijesundara. Dhananjaya De Silva will lead the side, Lahiru Kumara too was selected in the squad but will miss the first Test due to injury. Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh Tests schedule 1st Test: Galle (June 17-21) 2nd Test: Colombo (June 25-29) Angelo Mathews's Legacy Angelo Mathews has been the third highest scorer for SL in Test format with 8167 runs to his name. He has represented Lanka in 118 tests and has scored with an average of 44.62 with 16 hundreds to his name. The right hand batter also has 45 half centuries, even leading the side for 34 tests. Along with batting, he was also very handy with his bowling taking 33 wickets. Angelo recently revealed as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo that his major regret in career would be not being able to cross the 10 thousand run mark despite having such a decorated career. "To finish third on the list of Sri Lanka's Test run-scorers, behind two of the greatest that have ever played for Sri Lanka (Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene) - that makes me really proud. I know there is regret about 10,000, but I'm happy reaching 8000-odd. Due to injuries I couldn't play a lot of Test cricket as well. But I'm fortunate that despite that, I was able to play 118 Tests," he said.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
I would like to build a team culture where everyone is secure and happy: Shubman Gill
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel London: Someone who never dreamt of leading the national cricket team, India's new Test skipper Shubman Gill has set himself the goal of creating a team culture where every player is "secure and happy."A transitional India will search for their maiden Test series victory in England since 2007, and the first match is scheduled to take place at Leeds on June 20."It was like, not even in my dreams, I thought I wanted to be the captain of the Indian cricket team. So, apart from all the silverware and trophies aside, I really would like to build a team culture where everyone is very secure and happy," Gill told Gill knew that the task was easier said than done."I know it can be a very difficult environment, especially with all the competition and the number of matches that we play, different squads coming in. But if I'm able to do that, I think that would be my goal," he added."So, keeping a secure environment and making the player feel secure in his abilities and his capabilities I feel is one of the most important things that a leader has to do."Gill acknowledged that Rohit Sharma , who retired from Test cricket on May 7, had laid out a clear path for him."It can seem like he is not aggressive, but Rohit is very aggressive in terms of his tactics. He is someone who is very clear with his communication prior to the matches, during the series and even after the series, what he wants from the players."Gill said he wanted to follow the path of his predecessor Rohit, who had always put the team ahead of individuals."The kind of environment Rohit bhai kept, even if Rohit bhai is swearing at you, you would not take it to your heart. That's just kind of his personality. I think that's a great trait to have."He's firm, but even if he's being hard on you, you know that it's not coming from his heart. It's coming from a team perspective," added 25-year-old said he had a conversation with Rohit on the road ahead for the team."This is a conversation that I've had with Rohit bhai a couple of times that ideally in the next 5, 7 or 10 or 15 years, where would we want the Indian cricket team culture to be?"Gill also said he learned so much from the "proactive" leadership of Virat Kohli."When I played under Virat, I think his proactiveness in Test matches with the field or with the ideas or with his thinking was something that I liked and that I picked up. If he thinks that, okay, this plan is not working, he would immediately have another plan, communicate to the bowler what he wants from them," he also provided a gist of his conversation with head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar before taking up the leadership role."They just want me to be able to express myself as a leader. I mean, that's what they have told me, there are no expectations. They are not expecting me to, you know, to do something that I'm not capable of."But you definitely have some kind of expectations from yourself as a leader and as a player. So those are the expectations that I have from myself," he also revealed that he hid all the captaincy talk even from his father, his biggest source of support in his career."I don't even think he (father) dreamt of me being the Indian Test captain, like even myself as well. All I remember when I was young, all my dreams were to play for India and win matches."So yeah, he called me when the news broke out, I think a couple of days before. But I knew sometime before (the news flashed), but I didn't tell him because I wanted to tell him when it's official. But we had a very heartfelt conversation once he got to know that I've been named the captain," he already has a taste of Gambhir's style of coaching from his days at the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, but he was confident of adjusting to him in the national environment."Gautam bhai is very determined, very committed. And he's also very clear with his communication, what he wants from the players and what kind of mindset that he would want the players to have."Gautam bhai focuses more on the kind of attitude or the mindset that he requires from the team or the players."Gill's crisis management ability will be put to test when he will have to decide on the workload of premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah Chief selector Agarkar had already made it clear that it's highly unlikely that India will have the services of Bumrah throughout the series."It's more based on match to match and see how much workload there has been on him. That's what we are trying to look at. You need to see how much workload he had in this particular match."We don't want to have a predetermined mindset. Okay, these are the matches that he would want to play because there are so many factors that can not go in your favour in determining whether he is going to play the next match or not," he said he has not decided upon any plan to counter England's 'Bazball' method of cricket in the series."I don't want to have a preconceived notion of how I would want to go about things. There might be a case, you know, they can come out playing aggressive cricket and can lose a few wickets," he said.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Kabaddi meet underway
1 2 3 4 Ranchi: The State Under-18 boys and girls kabaddi competition was inaugurated at RPF Barracks Sports Ground, Bokaro, by ARM Vineet Kumar, who emphasised vast career potential in sports. A total of 639 players from 22 districts are competing. Dignitaries including Santosh Kumar and Gopal Thakur encouraged the participants. A two-minute silence honoured recent tragedies of plain crash in Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) celebrated MS Dhoni's induction into the ICC Hall of Fame 2025 with a special ceremony. Held on the eve of the WTC final, the event honoured Dhoni's legendary 14-year career and global impact. JSCA president Ajay Nath Shahdeo, vice-president Sanjay Pandey, and others attended, applauding Dhoni's historic achievements and his role in elevating Indian cricket to new heights.
