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Temba Bavuma Faces Major Setback Days After Leading South Africa to WTC Glory

June 21, 2025, 5:00 am

South African skipper Temba Bavuma has been sidelined from the forthcoming two-Test series against Zimbabwe because of a left hamstring strain he picked up in last week’s World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at Lord’s. Bavuma, who will be subjected to additional scans to ascertain the severity of the injury, fought through the pain in the second innings and contributed a game-changing knock of 66 coupled with Aiden Markram’s 136 that saw them win the WTC.

Without Bavuma, the world champions will be spearheaded by spinner Keshav Maharaj in the series which commences from June 28 in Bulawayo. The series will also serve as the commencement of the new WTC cycle for both teams.

CSA Confirms Injury and Captaincy Change

“Proteas Men’s Test captain Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of the upcoming two-match Test series against Zimbabwe due to a left hamstring strain,” Cricket South Africa wrote on X.

“Bavuma sustained the injury while batting during South Africa’s second innings on day three of the ICC World Test Championship Final against Australia at Lord’s Cricket Ground. He is set to undergo further scans to assess the extent of the injury. Keshav Maharaj will captain the side in his absence,” it added.

South Africa Rests Key Players; Names Five Uncapped Stars

Proteas team has five uncapped players as South Africa have decided to rest some of their first-choice all-format players, such as Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada. Lungi Ngidi, their pace bowler, will be available only for the second Test.

This is Bavuma’s third hamstring injury in less than two years. He had one earlier in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he took the field for the semi-final with the injury, and again at the Boxing Day Test against India. He has also been working through ongoing elbow problems and often plays with his left elbow heavily strapped.

In the wake of the Zimbabwe series – where Bavuma is expected to come back – South Africa’s immediate future is filled with ODIs against Australia in August and England in September. Their next WTC expedition starts with Pakistan in October before the tour of India in November.

No Home Test for South Africa Until 2026

Interestingly, South Africa will not have a home Test until October 2026 when they host Australia. Bavuma has indicated his hope of continuing playing through until the 2027 home ODI World Cup, if his fitness holds out.

South Africa Squad for Zimbabwe Series

South Africa team: David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Keshav Maharaj (captain), Kwena Maphaka, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi (second Test only), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Lesego Senokwane, Prenelan Subrayen, Kyle Verreynne, Codi Yusuf.

Dale Steyn in Tears After South Africa Win WTC Final: ‘Life Will Go On But…’

June 15, 2025, 9:31 pm

It’s difficult to put into words how much the World Test Championship victory would have meant to South Africa, especially the generations of all-time-great cricketers who had passed through the ranks and endured such protracted periods of heartbreak and disappointment. Legends like Dale Steyn, who gave their all but never got the chance to lift an ICC trophy, embodied that unfulfilled dream. To see Kyle Verreynne smash a shot through covers and ascertain that the ICC Test Mace would be returning home to the Rainbow Nation was to assuage the agony of decades of pain, living a dream shared and not fulfilled by so many.

Dale Steyn: A Legend Overcome With Emotion

One such player was Dale Steyn, the all-time great fast bowler who never quite came close to hoisting an ICC trophy. Steyn, performing media responsibilities for Star Sports, was overcome by pure emotion in the aftermath of those winning runs, left almost speechless by what it meant to see his country finally cross that barrier.

In a clip posted on the social media accounts of the Star Sports, Steyn is seen grasping for words and attempting to hold back tears, before becoming silent for a long time as the realization of the moment finally set in for him.

A Nation in Tears: Maharaj, Smith and the Shared Sentiment

Steyn was not alone in being the victim of the moment, with Keshav Maharaj also struggling through tears of his own to tell former skipper Graeme Smith just how much it means to the nation to cross the line after so many years of agony, and consistently missing the ultimate triumph.

“Life Will Carry On”: Poignant Reflection of Dale Steyn

“What do you do, what do you say? It’s incredible, I’m sitting at home, I’ve got my cap here, I’m extremely proud. I mean, what do you do? I’ll take my son for a walk and life will carry on,” said the fast bowler, lifting up his Proteas Test cap, before falling silent and welling up with emotion following the moment. It is evident how poignant a moment this is considered in South African cricket history.

And at the end of it all, it was Aiden Markram the hero with one of South Africa’s most celebrated Test centuries, backed by Kagiso Rabada’s 9-fer, a player regarded as being Dale Steyn’s heir in South Africa’s own extensive list of fast bowling legends.

Aiden Markram Becomes Only Third Batter to Score a Hundred in WTC Final

June 14, 2025, 12:14 am

South Africa’s Aiden Markram stepped up in the World Test Championship final against Australia, scoring a century in the last match at Lord’s on Friday, June 13. Markram played a nearly flawless innings, becoming the first-ever WTC Final centurion from South Africa.

Aiden Markram Joins Elite Company in WTC Final History

Markram matched Steve Smith and Travis Head in the record of making a hundred in the WTC Final, as he assisted South Africa take a lead in the run-chase of 282. The right-handed batsman stood at the crease to open the innings for South Africa and shared a century stand with Temba Bavuma, setting the challengers in the best possible position to claim the final Test match. Markram completed his milestone off 155 balls, which was his 8th in Test cricket.

Hundreds in WTC Final

Travis Head: 163 off 174 balls, vs India 2023
Steve Smith: 121 off 268 balls, vs India 2023
Aiden Markram: 102* off 159 balls, vs Australia 2025

Given a challenge of 282 runs, which has been achieved at the Lord’s only twice in history, Markram took advantage of the sunny weather and retaliated against the Australian pacers. 28 wickets had tumbled on the initial two days of the Test match, which indicated that batting would be challenging on the Lord’s surface. But Markram went against the odds on Friday, and batted with remarkable accuracy, becoming the first-ever South African to register WTC Final century.

Bavuma’s Steady Support and Near-Miss Moments

Temba Bavuma also played a sensational knock and remained unbeaten on 62 runs. He held one end while Markram completed his century at the other.

Both batters played risk-free cricket. They focused on keeping the ball on the ground and avoided unnecessary shots.

Temba Bavuma survived an early chance on 2. He later offered another opportunity to Sam Konstas at deep mid-wicket after reaching his fifty.

Aiden Markram, on the other hand, batted with precision. He made sure to convert every scoring chance and stayed in control throughout.

Steve Smith Suffers Finger Dislocation, Taken to Hospital for X-ray

June 13, 2025, 11:43 pm

Australia have been dealt a severe setback when star batsman Steve Smith was taken for X-ray at a local hospital after he suffered a compound dislocation in his right little finger during Day Three’s play of the ICC World Test Championship final against South Africa at the Lord’s on Friday. Steve Smith was in close at wide first slip with a helmet in hand during the 20th over when South Africa captain Temba Bavuma, on two, edged one to the cordon off left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc, and the batter couldn’t hold on to it, as he didn’t get much time to judge it.

Multiple Substitutions After Steve Smith Injury

Soon, Smith, who was located around 14 metres from the stumps, walked off the field, with teenage opening batsman Sam Konstas replacing him as a substitute fielder. But even Konstas had to receive medical attention after a few overs and was replaced by substitute fielder, left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann on the field.

Steve Smith didn’t come back to the field in the post-tea session after suffering the big blow, with Cricket Australia (CA) saying that the right-handed batter ‘suffered a compound dislocation of his right little finger’. “He was assessed by Australian team medical staff at the ground and taken to the hospital for X-ray and further treatment,” added CA.

Smith’s Injury a Blow Ahead of West Indies Tour

The dislocation renders Smith a huge uncertainty for appearing in their Test tour of the West Indies beginning in ten days’ time. The only respite for Australia, the present World Test Championship champions, is that Australia have completed all their batting tasks, with Smith scoring 66 and 13 respectively.

South Africa are pursuing a daunting 282 after Australia was able to score 207 in the second innings due to Mitchell Starc’s rearguard contribution of 58 and his combining with Josh Hazlewood for a 59-run last-wicket stand.

Markram Anchors South Africa’s Chase

Aiden Markram kept one end steady to remain unbeaten on 102 off 159 deliveries as South Africa moved to 213/3 in 56 overs in their second innings, needing just 69 more runs to seal a memorable victory.

South Africa would be hoping skipper Temba Bavuma is fine after being in serious pain post-tweaking his hamstring, ten minutes before the tea break. Bavuma managed to walk off at 11 not out, but an assessment in the break determined he could resume his innings in the final session. He returned to bat and batted out the day, remaining unbeaten on 65 off 121 balls.

Bedingham Confident South Africa Can Chase Down Target in WTC Final

June 13, 2025, 10:07 am

South Africa’s middle-order batter David Bedingham has expressed strong confidence in his team’s ability to chase down Australia’s target in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. He said the Proteas are filled with belief and are excited about the challenge ahead.

Two Days of Intensity at Lord’s

The WTC final at Lord’s has delivered high drama across two days. Seam bowlers from both teams have dominated under challenging overcast conditions. Batters from either side have found it tough to score runs. South Africa were bowled out for just 138 in reply to Australia’s 212 in the first innings.

However, South Africa came back strong with the ball. Their bowlers produced a fiery spell to put Australia under pressure again.

Ngidi, Rabada and Jansen Lead South Africa’s Fightback

Pacer Lungi Ngidi made a big impact, justifying his selection by taking key wickets including Steven Smith, Beau Webster, and skipper Pat Cummins. Meanwhile, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada brought intensity to the attack and used the overcast skies to their advantage.

By the end of day two, Australia managed to reach 144/8, holding a lead of 218 runs with just two wickets left.

Proteas “Excited” About Fourth-Innings Chase

After stumps on day two, Bedingham spoke about the mood in the South African dressing room. He stressed that the team was optimistic and ready for the fourth-innings challenge.

“It’s just an amazing chance, and we are all very, very excited about the opportunity to win. Could go either way, but us as a team we are very, very excited and there’s a lot of belief in the dressing room,” Bedingham told ESPNcricinfo.

Australia’s Lower-Order Resistance Delays Collapse

While South Africa had Australia in deep trouble at 73/7, Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc fought back with a 61-run partnership. Their stand gave Australia some breathing space, lifting them to 144/8 at the end of play.

Still, South Africa remains confident. Bedingham said, “It’s an amazing day. When they started batting in the third innings, we would’ve definitely taken 220 for 8. So we are very confident, there’s a massive belief in this team.”

Bedingham Hopes Pitch Will Ease on Day Three

Batting hasn’t been easy on the Lord’s surface, as both teams have struggled to post big scores. Pat Cummins had earlier said that the batters had to fight hard for every run. Bedingham, South Africa’s top scorer with 45 off 111 balls in the first innings, agreed.

He observed that conditions might slightly favour the batters as the game progresses.

“When you have six quality seamers on a tricky pitch it obviously makes batting tough. The way the game’s going, the wicket’s slowed down a bit, so the nicks won’t carry,” Bedingham explained. “So in the fourth innings they’ll maybe come a bit straighter and that will probably be the danger on that type of wicket, but hopefully we can get those runs.”