Aiden Markram played a crucial role in South Africa’s victory, securing their place in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at Lord’s on June 11. Markram was named “Player of the Match” for his outstanding performance, scoring 89 runs from 144 balls in the first innings and 37 runs in the second innings.
Markram’s Emotional Reaction
After the win, Markram expressed a sense of relief and emotion. He said, “Pretty relieved now. That was really tense. To get on the right side of it means a lot. To make it to a final is really special. Relieved now, but full of emotions.”
Although he played a crucial role, Markram admitted he would have liked to stay at the crease until the end. “Today was the most important, would have loved to take us home and be there at the end. Could not work out that way unfortunately,” he shared.
Team Victory Over Personal Milestones
Markram emphasized the value of the team’s success over personal milestones. “I will never be one for milestones, I know I am not going to break any records. Just about winning games for SA and contributing to wins. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. But when you can make an impact, it means a lot and all is worth it if you can get on the right side (of the result),” he explained.
Tough Pitch Conditions
Markram also reflected on the challenging pitch conditions. “It was challenging. I was fortunate to have played a lot of cricket here. As a batter, you’re never really in. The pitch was a bit up and down, with lots of lateral movement. You’ve got to balance that with scoring runs, not just surviving. Fortunately, it worked out well this week,” he added.
South Africa’s Historic Achievement
Thanks to their victory, South Africa has earned a spot in their first-ever World Test Championship Final, which will be held at Lord’s in June.
Key Match Moments
South Africa won the toss and opted to bowl first. Pakistan managed to score 211 all out, with Kamran Ghulam contributing 54 runs. Dane Paterson (5/61) and Corbin Bosch (4/63) were the standout bowlers for South Africa.
In response, South Africa posted a score of 301. Markram’s 89 runs and Bosch’s unbeaten 81* were key contributions. Khurram Shahzad (3/75) and Naseem Shah (3/92) bowled well for Pakistan.
Pakistan’s second innings featured solid knocks from Babar Azam (50) and Saud Shakeel (84), but they were dismissed for 237, giving South Africa a target of 148. Marco Jansen (6/52) led the charge with the ball for South Africa.
Chasing 148 runs, South Africa found themselves at 99/8. However, Markram (37) and Bavuma (40) kept them in the hunt. Mohammad Abbas (6/54) was Pakistan’s top bowler.
In a dramatic situation, Kagiso Rabada (31*) and Jansen (16*) formed a crucial 51-run partnership, guiding South Africa to a memorable victory.