South Africa Beat Australia to Win Historic ICC World Test Championship

The South African men’s cricket team won the 3rd ICC World Test Championship, defeating defending champion Australia by five wickets. This was the first major cricket title for the South African team, also known as Proteas, since the 1998 ICC Knockout Championship (later renamed ICC Champions Trophy), held in Kenya.

Also, it was the first time in the last 15 years that Australia lost in an ICC Tournament. England defeated Australia in the 2010 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final in the West Indies.  

The 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship final was played at the Lord's cricket ground in London, England, from 11 to 14 June 2025. 

Aiden Markram &Captain Bavuma lead South Africa to Victory 

The South African captain, Temba Bavuma, won the toss in the final and invited the Australian team, led by fast bowler Pat Cummins, to bat first. 

The Australian team was all out for 212 in the first inning with a fine contribution of 66 runs from  Steve Smith and 72 from Beau Webster.

The South African team were bundled out for 138 runs, conceding a first inning lead of 74 runs. The Australian Captain Pat Cummins took 6 wickets for 28 runs.

In the second innings, the Australian team collapsed to 73 for 7 wickets before Mitchell Starc's 58 not out and Alex Carey's useful 43 helped the Australian team finish with 207 runs.

South Africa was set a target of 282 runs to win the World Test Championship. South Africa's reply was led by a gritty 135 by Aiden Markram and a fighting 66 runs by injured Bavuma, to a historic and memorable victory.

Kagiso Rabada finished the match with 9 for 110 runs in a match dominated by bowlers.

Man of the Match - Aiden Makram of South Africa 

History of the ICC World Test Championships 

The ICC instituted the World Test Championship in 2019 to revise the longest format of cricket.  Before this, the ICC already conducted a World Cup for the one-day internationals (ODIs) and the T20 World Cup for both men and women.

The top nine-ranked teams in the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings participate in the ICC Test Championship.

The World Test Championship has a two-year cycle and includes bilateral test series played between the top nine ranked Test teams.

Based on their performance in the bilateral series, teams were allotted a percentage of points. At the end of the two-year cycle, the top two teams qualified for the final.

First World Test Championship 2019-2021 Cycle 

• India and New Zealand were the two top-ranked teams at the end of the 2019-2021 cycle.
• India and New Zealand faced off in the final, which was played at Southampton, England, in June 2021. 
• Kane Williamson led New Zealand to a historic victory over the Virat Kohli-led Indian team to win the inaugural Test Championship, defeating India by 8 wickets.

Second World Test Championship 2021-2023 Cycle 

• India and Australia were the top two teams in the second ICC World Test Championship and qualified for the final.
• The final was played at the Oval cricket ground in London, England, in June 2023.
• Pat Cummins's Australian team defeated Rohit Sharma’s Indian team by 209 runs to win the Championship.

Third World Test Championship 2023-25 Cycle 

• South Africa defeated Australia by five wickets in the final played at Lord's cricket ground in England in June 2025.

Fourth ICC Test Championship 2025-27 Cycle 

• The fourth ICC Test Championship 2025-27 cycle will commence with the Sri Lanka and Bangladesh Test match starting on 17 June 2025 in Galle, Sri Lanka.
• Seventy-one test matches will be played over the next two cricketing seasons, with the top nine-ranked teams on the ICC Test Team ranking.
• India will play 18 Test matches in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle. 
• India will host the West Indies, South Africa, and Australia and play away series in England, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand.

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