South Africa's left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj called opener Aiden Markram a "big-match player" as the latter went on to score a century during his outing in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 against Australia at the Home of Cricket, Lord's in London on Friday.
Chasing 282 to win, South Africa are 213 for two at the end of day three thanks to a majestic century from Markram and a gutsy 65 not out from captain Temba Bavuma.
Cricketing fraternity, especially from South Africa, lauded Aiden Markram for his historic century at Lord's during the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia on Friday.
Wiaan Mulder, South African all-rounder, said that the Proteas' approach removed his fear of failing in the second innings of the World Test Championship Final against Australia at Lord's in London on Friday.
At the end of day three, SA was 213/2, with Markram (102*) and Bavuma (65*) unbeaten. They need 69 runs to win in their run-chase of 282 runs. This is the first-ever century by a Proteas player in an ICC tournament final.
Smith was standing in close at slip with a helmet on when South Africa captain Temba Bavuma edged one into the cordon off pacer Mitchell Starc, and the Australia veteran grassed the chance with Bavuma on just two at the time.
A frustrating stand between Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood for 10th wicket, during which they put on 59 runs and Starc scored a historic first-ever fifty by a player batting at number nine or below in an ICC knockout match, took Aussies from 152/9 to 207, helping them put up a challenging
Starc, Hazlewood achieved this feat during the ICC World Test Championship final against South Africa on Friday. Coming into the day three at 144/8, Australia lost Nathan Lyon early, but Starc struck a historic half-century, the first one by a batter number nine or below in a ICC tournament
Starc who is usually known to uproot batters' stumps early in the innings and produce clutch bowling spells when it mattered the most, showcased to the world an absolutely rare side of his, a bowler who could grind it out with the bat during crisis, during the ICC World Test Championship (WT