Aiden Markram scored a century in the WTC Finals 2025 against Australia
With this win, South Africa lifted their first-ever World Test Championship mace and only their second ICC trophy overall. Markram, named Player of the Match, played with calmness and confidence under pressure. After the game, he opened up about his mindset during the final and how staying composed made things easier for the entire team.
Coming into bat in the Big Finals of the World Test Championship 2025, Aiden Markram had the weight of a nation on his shoulders and a personal storm to calm. Just a year earlier, he had walked off the field in heartbreak after scoring just four runs in the T20 World Cup 2024 final against India in Barbados. That painful memory of failing when it mattered most had stuck with him. And now, after being dismissed for a duck in the first innings of the WTC final at Lord’s, the pressure on him was only growing. He said:
I thought a lot about the T20 World Cup last night and how hopeless I felt sitting on the side after getting out. I was like, I don’t want to sit there again. So, this gave me a bit of motivation to make sure I stayed at the crease, if I could. But never once thought about the achievements and what would come with it. It was always about just trying to get the job done and trying to win.
But Markram didn’t give in to the past. He came out in the fourth innings with steely focus and played one of the greatest knocks of his career – a masterful 136 against a top-quality Australian bowling attack. His innings led South Africa to a historic five-wicket victory, ending their 27-year wait for an ICC trophy and finally shedding the unwanted ‘chokers’ tag. What made the knock even more special was the emotional journey behind it. Markram admitted that the night before the final day, he couldn’t sleep.
He took a sleeping tablet, hoping to calm his racing mind, but it didn’t help. Thoughts of his T20 World Cup failure and the pain of watching the game from the sidelines after getting out kept coming back. That moment of helplessness turned into motivation. He didn’t want to be in that position again. His only goal this time was to stay at the crease, do the job, and not think about personal achievements. Markram’s innings was not just a century — it was a record. He further added:
Yeah, it was weird last night. I was pretty emotional. From about quarter past five, the game had slowed down. I had a bit of time to look around and see all the fans, the family, all the mates that were there … I was looking at the changing room. I was like, ‘Yes, we are now getting close’, and it caught me off guard. Then the hundred happened, and a couple of tears leaked out that I was trying to fight.
The composure he showed, especially after failing in the first innings, stood out. He faced some of the world’s best bowlers, including Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc, and never looked rattled. As he approached his century, the emotions kicked in. He later shared how overwhelmed he felt looking around the stadium — seeing the fans, his teammates, and his family in the stands. The moment got to him, and even a few tears came out as he celebrated his hundred.
Despite the South African team winning the 2025 World Test Championship Final in brilliant fashion, there is a deeper message Aiden Markram wants people to take away — the revival of Test cricket in South Africa. Markram, who was named Player of the Match for his heroic 136-run knock in the fourth innings against Australia at Lord’s, believes that this historic win could be the spark needed to bring new life to red-ball cricket in his country. Over the past few years, Test cricket has slowly lost its popularity in South Africa.
With fewer matches being scheduled and the rise of franchise-based T20 leagues, the younger generation is moving away from the longest format of the game. But for Markram, Test cricket has always been his favourite — the format he believes brings out the true essence of the sport. Speaking after South Africa lifted their first ICC trophy in 27 years, Markram said he hopes this win sends a strong message to every young cricketer in the country. He stressed that wearing the Test cap should still be seen as the highest honour in South African cricket, even in today’s changing cricket world where short-format leagues offer fame and money. He said:
It has always been my most favourite and most important format. Naturally, the choice of format is not in our hands, it is sort of the cards that you get dealt, really. It is really important, in my opinion, to keep Test cricket as the No. 1 format in South Africa. We understand the dynamics of the cricket world, but it is more about the young guy coming through and for him to consider the Test cap as the most important thing in South Africa. How long he plays for is a completely different conversation nowadays, but the No. 1 priority should be to play Test cricket, and I have always believed that.
According to him, how long a player stays in Test cricket is another matter, but the goal must always be to play the format with pride. Markram’s innings in the final was filled with grit and determination. After being dismissed for a duck in the first innings, he bounced back with a century under pressure — becoming only the fourth player to score a hundred in a successful fourth-innings chase at Lord’s. He further added:
All the questions that have been asked in the past have now hopefully been answered. In my opinion, the WTC Final was going to be the toughest one, as many days of good cricket can only get you results.
His efforts helped South Africa defeat Australia by five wickets and finally get rid of the ‘chokers’ tag that had followed them in ICC events for years. But Markram’s focus was not just on personal success. He highlighted how important it is for South African cricket to protect and promote Test matches. He acknowledged that decisions about formats are often out of a player’s hands, given the commercial side of the sport, but insisted on keeping the traditional format alive in the hearts of fans and young players.
Just after winning the World Test Championship Final at Lord’s, Aiden Markram gave fans a moment to remember — not just with the bat, but with a cold beer in hand. After scoring a match-winning 136 runs in the fourth innings against Australia, helping South Africa end their 27-year wait for an ICC trophy, Markram joined the celebrations in a way that felt truly human — by accepting a beer from an old school friend in the crowd. The Proteas were doing their lap of honour at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground, celebrating a hard-fought five-wicket win.
The cameras caught a light-hearted yet iconic moment when Markram walked over to the boundary and greeted a group of South African supporters. Among them was his schoolmate, who handed him a beer. Without hesitation, Markram took it, chugged it down, and smiled — marking the start of what would be a night of grand celebration. Later, in the post-match press conference, the Player of the Match opened up about the spontaneous gesture. He laughed as he explained that his friend called him over, but Markram initially declined due to the chaos around. But once the beer appeared, the offer was too good to refuse. He said:
Yeah, that was cool. That was one of my mates from school. He wanted me to come over and I said, ‘Flip man, I can’t, it’s too busy, it’s chaos.’ And then he was like, ‘Oh, here’s a beer.’ And I was like, ‘OK, I’m in. So, I’ve had my first one for today and I’m pretty sure there’ll be a few more.
His honesty and joy brought laughter to the media room, perfectly capturing the relaxed and triumphant mood of the moment. This victory was historic for South Africa — their first major ICC tournament win and a huge statement in the world of Test cricket. Markram’s innings will be remembered as one of the finest in fourth-innings chases at Lord’s, and his beer moment just made it all the more special.