Aiden Markram's Century Puts South Africa on Course for WTC Final Victory
Markram's Stellar Performance in the WTC Final
On June 13, Aiden Markram delivered an outstanding performance, scoring an unbeaten century that positioned South Africa favorably against Australia in the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final. The match is taking place at the historic Lord's Cricket Ground, where Markram concluded the day with 102 runs off 159 balls, including 11 boundaries.
He formed a significant partnership of 143 runs for the third wicket with captain Temba Bavuma, who contributed 65 runs from 121 balls.
Virat Kohli's Nostalgic Praise Resurfaces
After Markram's century, a tweet from Virat Kohli dating back to March 2018 gained traction online. In the tweet, Kohli expressed his admiration, stating, "Aiden Markram is a delight to watch." This tweet was shared by Punjab Kings on X, celebrating Markram's achievement.
💯💯#WTC25 #WtcFinal2025 pic.twitter.com/qyATJJ0X4z
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) June 13, 2025
Markram's Journey to Century
Despite a disappointing first innings where he was dismissed for a duck, Markram showcased resilience in the second innings. He initially partnered with Wiaan Mulder, who scored 27 runs off 50 balls, contributing 61 runs together after the early loss of Ryan Rickelton for just 6 runs. His partnership with Bavuma was crucial in maintaining South Africa's strong position.
This century marks a historic moment as Markram is the first South African to score a hundred in an ICC final. Among the 16 centuries recorded in ICC finals across all formats, he is the first Proteas player to achieve this milestone.
Historic Achievements at Lord's
Markram joins an elite group as the third player to score a century in an ICC final at Lord's, following legends Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards. He is also among the few, including Steve Smith and Travis Head, to have scored a century in a WTC final.
Having led South Africa to the T20 World Cup final last year, Markram now aims to help his team secure their first ICC title since 1998 by chasing down the remaining 69 runs on Day 4.