Tag: South Africa

South Africa left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi has reflected on the Proteas’ maiden ICC World Test Championship (WTC) title.

The Proteas lifted their first WTC mace with a five-wicket win, anchored by Aiden Markram’s sensational fourth-innings century.

The opener’s 136 earned him the Player of the Match award, while Kagiso Rabada’s fiery nine-wicket haul proved instrumental in dismantling Australia across both innings.

Held from June 11 to 14, the final of the third WTC cycle saw an extraordinary 2.94 billion minutes of TV watch-time on Star Sports, reaching an audience of 47 million viewers nationwide, a staggering milestone for a Test that didn’t feature the Indian team.

The match also sparked massive engagement online, clocking 225 million digital views, matching the numbers from the previous WTC Final between India and Australia at The Oval in 2023.

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During an interview with a sports platform, Shamsi, who played two Tests for the Rainbow Nation, hailed South Africa’s victory and praised Temba Bavuma’s leadership for ending the title drought.

“Definitely, it was very, very special even for guys who were not part of the triumph. You know, South African cricket had a history of heartbreaks in major tournaments,” he said.

“So, just to watch the guys and finally break the curse was really an emotional moment, and I think it’s the first of many, many trophies that South Africa is going to win in the future,” Tabraiz Shamsi added.

The spinner who was not part of the winning squad hailed Temba Bavuma’s leadership.

“Yes, he is a little man with a big heart, and he is very calm in his demeanour and the way he speaks and communicates, Tabraiz Shamsi said of Bavuma.

Tabraiz Shamsi also eyed the 2026 T20 World Cup, stating that the South Africa team is his priority.

“Obviously, playing for the country will always be a priority, and I am fully available for South Africa,” the 35-year-old stated.

READ: ICC WTC 2025 Final sets new viewership records

Fast bowler Corbin Bosch bowled South Africa to a 328-run win over Zimbabwe on the fourth day of the first Test at Queens Sports Club on Tuesday.

Bosch followed up a splendid first innings century by taking five for 43 as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 208 while chasing a mammoth 537-runs.

Playing in his second Test, Bosch became the fourth South African to score a century and take five wickets in an innings in a Test.

Corbin Bosch, who broke a stubborn opening stand with the last ball of Monday’s play, struck with the first delivery on Tuesday when new batter Nick Welch fended a lifting delivery to short leg.

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First innings century-maker Sean Williams went on the attack, hitting five fours in scoring 26 off 18 balls.

But Williams became Bosch’s third victim when he got into a tangle trying to play to leg and was caught behind off a top edge.

Fellow fast bowler Codi Yusuf replaced Bosch and quickly picked up three wickets as Zimbabwe crashed to 82 for six.

Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine (49) and Wellington Masakadza (57) delayed South Africa’s win by putting on 83 for the sixth wicket before Bosch had Ervine smartly caught at short leg by Tony de Zorzi.

Bosch completed his five-wicket haul when he bowled Vincent Masekesa for three.

The left-hand batter Masakadza, with a previous highest Test score of 17, struck nine fours in an attacking innings before he was caught at slip off South African captain, left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.

South Africa fielded only four of the players who won the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s last month.

The Test series between South Africa and Zimbabwe does not count towards the new championship standings.

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Sean Williams hit an aggressive century for Zimbabwe, but South Africa were in control after the second day of the first Test at Queens Sports Club on Sunday.

The left-handed Williams hit 137 off 163 balls – more than half his team’s total of 251.

South Africa led by 167 runs on the first innings and stretched their lead to 216 runs when they reached 49 for one at the close of play.

Zimbabwe were soon in trouble after South Africa declared their first innings at their overnight 418 for nine.

New cap Codi Yusuf took two wickets in his first three overs, and Zimbabwe suffered a major blow when opening batter Brian Bennett was forced to retire hurt for 19 after being struck on the helmet when he missed a hook against fast bowler Kwena Maphaka.

Bennett, who scored 139 on his previous Test appearance against England in Nottingham last month, was ruled out of the rest of the match with a mild concussion.

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He was replaced by Prince Masvaure, who was dismissed for seven when he batted at number seven.

Sean Williams and captain Craig Ervine (36) shared the only substantial partnership of the innings, putting on 81 before Ervine was stumped by Kyle Verreynne to give Keshav Maharaj his 200th Test scalp.

Yusuf, like fellow debutants Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dewald Brevis, made a promising start to his Test career, taking three for 42. Pretorius made 153 and Brevis 51 in South Africa’s first innings.

All-rounder Wiaan Mulder took four for 50 and left-arm spinner Maharaj, captaining the team for the first time in the absence of injured Temba Bavuma, claimed three for 70.

Fast bowler Tanaka Chivanga took a wicket in his first over for the second time in the match, having Matthew Breetzke caught at gully for one.

But Tony de Zorzi (22 not out) and Mulder (25 not out) prevented any further breakthroughs before bad light stopped play.

The South Africa vs Zimbabwe Test series is not part of the World Test Championship.  The South Africa team includes only four players who won the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s in London earlier this month.

READ: Keshav Maharaj breaks 136‑Year barrier with historic milestone for South Africa

BULAWAYO: South Africa stand-in skipper Keshav Maharaj has etched his name into the record books after becoming the first spinner to take 200 wickets for the Proteas.

Since South Africa’s first Test in 1889 against England, Keshav Maharaj is the only Proteas spinner to reach the milestone of 200 Test wickets.

Maharaj achieved the feat against Zimbabwe in his 59th match during the opening Test of the two-match series.

The 35-year-old achieved the record after removing Zimbabwe skipper Craig Ervine, who was stumped after scoring 36 runs in the 33rd over.

Maharaj bowled the fourth ball of the over on a length and slightly wide of off, but Ervine advanced down the pitch and was beaten all ends up to give South Africa a crucial breakthrough.

With this historic feat, he surpassed Hugh Tayfield in becoming the leading spin wicket-taker for South Africa. The list includes Paul Adams, Paul Harris, and Nicky Boje.

South African Spinners With Most Test Wickets

200* – Keshav Maharaj
170 – Hugh Tayfield
134 – Paul Adams
103 – Paul Harris
100 – Nicky Boje

Maharaj, the ninth-highest wicket-taker for South Africa, has been a regular in the longest format for the Rainbow Nation, having made his debut in 2016 against Australia.

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In 59 Tests for South Africa, Keshav Maharaj bagged 202 wickets, including 11 five-wicket hauls. He best figures of 12-283 in the longest format of the game against Sri Lanka in 2018 at Colombo.

Apart from his international success, Keshav Maharaj has vast experience of first-class cricket, in which he has scalped 628 wickets in 165 matches.

With the aid of Maharaj’s bowling, South Africa have secured a healthy lead over Zimbabwe at stumps on day two of the first Test match.

After bowling out Zimbabwe for 251 in reply to 418-9, South Africa finished the day on 49-1. Wiaan Mulder 25* and Tony De Zorzi 22* finished on high for the World Test Champions (WTC). For Zimbabwe, Tanaka Chivanga claimed one wicket before the end of the day’s play.

Earlier, South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder starred with the ball, taking four wickets in his 16 overs.

The first South Africa vs Zimbabwe Test is currently being played at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo.

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The South Africa Champions have named a star-studded squad led by star batter AB de Villiers for the World Championship of Legends (WCL) season 2, set to be held in England from July 18 to August 2.

De Villiers is joined by the South African batting maestro Hashim Amla, along with Chris Morris, JP Duminy, and Wayne Parnell.

Following the squad announcement, AB de Villiers expressed his excitement to be back on the field.

“There’s nothing like playing for South Africa. Being back with this group of legends, in front of fans who’ve always supported us, is truly special. WCL is a celebration of cricket’s spirit—and we’re here not just to participate, but to compete and ultimately to win,” De Villiers said.

In addition to this, franchise owner Amandeep Singh commented on the squad’s strength, mentioning the fans around the globe.

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“This squad is crafted to ignite passion and inspire fans worldwide,” Singh stated.

“Legends like AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, and JP Duminy carry a legacy that echoes across generations. We are truly honoured to have them lead our campaign in WCL 2025, and we are confident the South Africa Champions will set the tournament ablaze,” he added.

For the unversed, the 2025 WCL will be contested across four English venues: Edgbaston (Birmingham), County Ground (Northampton), Grace Road (Leicester), and Headingley (Leeds).

Six teams—India, Pakistan, Australia, England, South Africa, and the West Indies—will face off in a round-robin format, with the top four teams qualifying for the semi-finals.

South Africa Champions squad for WCL 2025:

AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Chris Morris, Albie Morkel, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Wayne Parnell, JJ Smuts, Hardus Viljoen, Richard Levi, Dane Vilas, SJ Erwee, Duanne Olivier, Morne van Wyk and Aaron Phangiso.

READ: Chris Gayle named in star-studded West Indies squad for WCL 2025

JOHANNESBURG: Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Thursday named the T20I squad for the upcoming tri-nation series featuring Zimbabwe and New Zealand, with Rassie van der Dussen set to lead the side in the absence of regular captain Aiden Markram.

The tri-series, scheduled to be played in Harare from July 14 to 26, will mark South Africa’s first T20I assignment under the new all-format head coach Shukri Conrad.

Several senior players have been rested for workload management, paving the way for a number of new faces.

Among them is Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who finished as the leading run-scorer in the recent SA20 season and has received his maiden international call-up.

Corbin Bosch, who has previously represented South Africa in ODIs and Tests, is also in line to make his T20I debut.

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Wicketkeeper-batter Rubin Hermann and all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy, both of whom impressed in domestic competitions, have also been included, with the latter already having Test and ODI experience.

“Lhuan-dre and Rubin have been rewarded for their strong SA20 campaigns. We’re also excited to see how Corbin Bosch adapts his skill set to the T20 format,” said Conrad.

The Proteas will be further bolstered by the return of pacers Nandre Burger and Gerald Coetzee, who are currently active in the Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States after recovering from injuries.

Dewald Brevis, meanwhile, is set to make his long-awaited return to the national setup after nearly two years.

“This T20I tri-series marks the start of our preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup,” Conrad further stated.

“Resting senior players allows us to test our depth and give these youngsters the chance to prove themselves at the international level.”

South Africa squad for tri-series: Rassie van der Dussen (capt), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Reeza Hendricks, Rubin Hermann, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Andile Simelane.

Tri-nation T20I series schedule:

• 1st T20I, 14 July – Zimbabwe vs South Africa
• 2nd T20I, 16 July – South Africa vs New Zealand
• 3rd T20I, 18 July – Zimbabwe vs New Zealand
• 4th T20I, 20 July – Zimbabwe vs South Africa
• 5th T20I, 22 July – New Zealand vs South Africa
• 6th T20I, 24 July – Zimbabwe vs New Zealand
• Final, 26 July – Number 1 vs Number 2

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South Africa all-rounder Wiaan Mulder has revealed an emotional chat with Australia’s explosive batter Travis Head after South Africa clinched the ICC World Championship (WTC) title at the iconic Lord’s cricket ground.

The Proteas ended their 27-year wait for an ICC title with a five-wicket win against the defending champions, Australia, in the WTC final.

Aiden Markram starred with the bat, scoring 136 runs in a vital partnership formed with skipper Temba Bavuma.

Wiaan Mulder, who was a teammate of Travis Head in the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) team during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, has discussed their conversation after the WTC final.

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“I actually spoke to him (Head) last night on the phone,” Mulder told ICC Digital. “He was happy for us and the way things went. Of course, he was heartbroken that they didn’t win, but I think the spirit of the game was as high and as good as it could be.”

Mulder hailed Aussies as true champions while praising Travis Head and Pat Cummins for their demeanour.

“When you think about the Aussies, you often think of them as being a bit aggressive at times, but these guys are true champions,” he said. “Heady is one of the nicest people around, and Patty (Pat Cummins) is also a great guy,” he said.

The right-handed all-rounder who did not play a single match in the IPL shared insights during his stint with SRH.

“I spent a lot of time with them during the IPL. There was a lot of friendly banter,” Mulder said.

It is noteworthy to mention that Wiaan Mulder was asked to bat at number three in the WTC despite not being a regular at this number. The 27-year-old scored six and 27 runs in the Test match; however, he got the prized wicket of Travis Head in Australia’s second innings.

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman, Jay Shah, has faced backlash over multiple appearances in the World Test Championship (WTC) final video.

In a 45-second video posted on social media, Jay Shah appeared multiple times. The video begins with a breathtaking shot of the iconic Lord’s Pavilion, then cuts to a slow-motion sequence of Jay Shah walking onto the ground.

The Indian administrator is also seen in conversation with ECB chair Richard Thompson, standing and applauding as he steals a sly glance at the camera, and congratulating South Africa’s current and past players.

Overall, Shah featured in 11 of the 23 shots used in the 45-second-long video.

Following the video release, Jay Shah was criticised heavily for his appearance in the WTC final promo.

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One of the critics wrote on a social media platform X: “If you blink at the wrong time, you’ll miss the only shot of Pat Cummins.” Another critic described his appearance as ‘beyond weird.

It is noteworthy to mention that South Africa sealed the WTC title after defeating the defending champions, Australia, by five wickets while chasing a challenging 282-run target here on Saturday.

South Africa were 213-2 at the start of day 4, needing only 69 runs to clinch the title. However, Mitchell Starc struck with the prized wicket of Temba Bavuma, who was removed after a well-made 65 despite struggling with an injury.

With only six runs needed to win, Kyle Verreynne joined Bedingham (21) and contributed four of those runs, including the winning run, thus ending South Africa’s ICC title drought.

Aiden Markram starred for South Africa in the second innings after a forgettable six-ball duck in the first innings. He scored a sublime 136 runs, while Kagiso Rabada was pivotal with the ball for the Proteas, taking nine wickets in the match.

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Australia captain Pat Cummins has indicated major changes in the team after the unsuccessful defence of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) against South Africa at Lord’s on Saturday.

Chasing 282 to win the 2025 final against Australia at Lord’s, South Africa broke their trophy jinx with a resounding five-wicket victory in the final on day four.

Aiden Markram starred with a magnificent fourth-innings hundred, taking his team home to a historic victory.

Following the defeat, questions arose regarding Australia’s top three, comprising Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green, and makeshift opener Marnus Labuschagne. The trio contributed only 49 of Australia’s 419 runs, just over 10 per cent.

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After the defeat, Pat Cummins highlighted the performances, asserting that there needs to be more effort from some players.

“There’s probably quite a few people in the line-up that wish they could have done a little bit more,” Cummins told reporters. “The top three was an obvious one in this game.”

Ahead of the three-match series against West Indies, Pat Cummins said that the WTC cycle feels like a bit of a reset.

“I don’t particularly know why, but it does feel like a little bit of a fresh start,” he said.

“You fast forward, you know, a couple of years (and) you start maybe thinking about who’s going to – and hopefully we make the final – but who’s going to be in that team and maybe do we want to get some games into them? Do we feel like now’s the right time to change? Or do we hold with the team that got us to the final?

“I think we’ll kind of got a couple of weeks before the first Test in the Windies, so I think we’ll sit down and have a bit of a think after we digest this game. But for me, I think a new WTC cycle in some ways, does feel like a bit of a reset,” Pat Cummins concluded.

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LONDON: Aiden Markram played a defining 136-run knock in the fourth innings to steer South Africa to victory against Australia on the fourth day of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final here at Lord’s Cricket Ground on Saturday.

At the start of Day 4, South Africa were 213-2, needing 69 runs to clinch the title. Markram and captain Temba Bavuma resumed their innings with scores of 102 and 65 respectively.

Bavuma was able to add only one run to his score before being dismissed by his Australian counterpart, Pat Cummins, in the third over of the day.

Following this, Mitchell Starc removed Tristan Stubbs for 8 runs, giving Australia a glimmer of hope for a comeback.

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However, David Bedingham and Aiden Markram quickly extinguished that hope. The two added 35 runs for the fifth wicket, guiding the Proteas toward a historic victory.

Markram was eventually dismissed by Josh Hazlewood just inches away from victory, scoring a classy 136 runs off 207 balls, including 14 boundaries.

With only six runs needed to win, Kyle Verreynne joined Bedingham (21) and contributed four of those runs, including the winning run, thus ending South Africa’s ICC title drought.

READ: ICC snubs India’s WTC Final hosting bid, England to remain host