SA vs AUS WTC Final 2025 Day 4 Recap – Key performances and major highlights

Day 4 of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 at Lord's witnessed South Africa etch their name in history, chasing down 282 to win by 5 wickets and securing their first WTC title. Resuming at 213/2, needing 69 runs, South Africa faced a late scare as Australia’s bowlers struck thrice, but David Bedingham's calm 21* and Kyle Verreynne's unflappable 4* saw them through to victory in 83.4 overs. Mitchell Starc's incendiary 3/66 presented a challenge, but the resistance of South Africa, spearheaded by Aiden Markram's match-winning 136 before he was sent back to the pavilion, broke a long drought. The day, where three wickets were lost, topped a nail-biting Test match with South Africa deserving champions.

South Africa 2nd Innings: 282/5, Win by 5 Wickets

South Africa resumed at 213/2 (56 overs), needing 69 runs to win. The chase hit turbulence as Mitchell Starc (3/66 in 14.4 overs) dismissed Temba Bavuma (66 off 134, caught by Alex Carey) and Tristan Stubbs (8 off 43, bowled), reducing South Africa to 241/4. Josh Hazlewood (1/58 in 19 overs) removed Aiden Markram (136 off 207, 14 fours, caught Travis Head), ending his historic knock at 276/5, with 6 runs still needed. Pat Cummins (1/59 in 17 overs) had earlier dismissed Wiaan Mulder (27 off 50, caught by Marnus Labuschagne) on Day 3, while Ryan Rickelton (6 off 8, caught by Carey) also fell early. However, David Bedingham’s steady 21* off 49 (1 four) and Kyle Verreynne’s unbeaten 4* off 13 forged a crucial 6-run sixth-wicket stand, guiding South Africa to 282/5 in 83.4 overs. Markram’s century, his third in a fourth innings, placed him among Lord’s elites like Don Bradman and Gordon Greenidge. Australia’s bowlers, including Nathan Lyon (0/66 in 26 overs), toiled on a flattening pitch, but South Africa’s resolve, as emphasized by coach Shukri Conrad, secured the historic win.

South Africa 2nd Innings – 282/5 (83.4 Overs)

See Also: Watch: Dream delivery from Mitchell Starc takes the wicket of Tristan Stubbs during WTC Final 2025

Key Moments: SA vs AUS WTC Final 2025

• Markram’s Match-Defining Ton: Aiden Markram’s 136* earned him Player of the Match as his fourth-innings century at Lord’s adds to his legacy next to the greats.
• Late Drama: Starc’s double strike taking Bavuma and Stubbs up until that point made a great contest out of it when South Africa were 241/4.
• South Africa’s Historic Triumph: South Africa became the fourth team to beat Australia in an ICC final after 20+ years of heartbreak, with Markram’s redemptive 136 and a lion-hearted skipper Temba Bavuma ending a 27 year drought for an ICC trophy; Kagiso Rabada’s 9 wickets in both innings sealed the triumph in a year of breaking trophy droughts
• Bedingham’s Calm Finish: David Bedingham’s unbeaten 21 steadied the chase as South Africa crossed the line once Verreynne was dismissed.