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Following his side's historic ICC World Test Championship win over Australia, South African skipper Temba Bavuma aims to carry his side's outstanding Test form to T20 World Cup next year and eventually the 50-over World Cup at home a year after.
Bavuma ended Proteas' 27-year-wait for their second ICC trophy after the ICC Knockout title in 1998. His resillient half-century and partnership with centurion Aiden Markram sealed them their first-ever world title in any format of the game. For Bavuma, the next opportunity to replicate these heroics may come at a home ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, which South Africa will co-host alongside Zimbabwe and Namibia in 2027. He believes the momentum of the WTC victory can be carried into the white-ball formats as well. "I think it will be massive. I mean, that tournament, we are definitely setting our sights on doing special things in that tournament," Bavuma said as quoted by ICC. "There is still a way to go until then. Shukri (Conrad) obviously comes in now as the white-ball coach, so we will see what plans that he has, who his personnel will be. But yeah, hopefully this is the start of those trophies for the team," he added. Before the ODI World Cup, South Africa will feature in the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Under the captaincy of Aiden Markram, they will look to go one step further than they did in 2024, where they finished as close runners-up to India. "Before then, the guys go to train and stuff, so Aiden and his boys, we will be supporting them to follow suit," Bavuma said. "But that 2027, a lot of us, we want to be there. We need to be fit to be there first. But I will definitely be putting up my hand to be a part of that group," he added. Coming to the match, On day first, Proteas won the toss and opted to bowl first. They dominated the first session with the ball, as fiery spells from Rabada (5/51) and Marco Jansen (3/49) reduced Australia to 67/4. A 79-run stand between Steve Smith (66 in 112 balls, with 10 fours) and Beau Webster (72 in 92 balls, with 11 fours) and a 46-run stand between Carey (23 in 31 balls, with four boundaries) and Webster took Australia to 212 all out. With the help of early two wickets from Starc and contributions from Cummins and Hazlewood helped Australia reduced South Africa to 43/4 at day one end, with Bavuma (3*) and Bedingham (0*) unbeaten. A six-fer from skipper Pat Cummins (6/28) helped Australia bundle out Proteas for 138 runs and secure a 74-run lead, despite a half-century run-stand between skipper Temba Bavuma (36 in 84 balls, with four boundaries and a six) and David Bedingham (45 in 111 balls, with six fours). In their second innings, Australia was reduced to 73/7, but a 61-run stand between Alex Carey (46 in 50 balls, with five fours) and Mitchell Starc (58* in 136 balls, with five fours), who also put a last wicket stand of 59 runs with Josh Hazlewood. Australia was bundled out for 207 runs, leading by 281 runs. Rabada (4/59) and Ngidi (3/38) were the pick of the bowlers for South Africa. In the run-chase, Proteas lost Ryan Rickelton early, but a 61-run stand between Wiaan Mulder (27 in 50 balls, with five fours) and Markram put Proteas on track. An even gigantic, frustrating 147 run stand between Markram (136 in 207 balls, with 14 fours) and skipper Bavuma (66 in 134 balls, with five fours) followed, rattling Australia. Despite Starc (3/63) attempting to keep Aussies alive, Kyle Verreyne hit the winning runs for South Africa to take them to their first ICC title since the ICC Knockout 1998. Markram took home the 'Player of the Match' award. (ANI)
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