Bavuma's reveals Australia tried sledging Proteas with 'chokers' tag: 'We could hear Aussies using that dreaded word'

Temba Bavuma, however, helped South Africa bury the “chokers” tag with a five-wicket victory over Australia in the ICC World Test Championship at Lords’, helping the Proteas win their maiden ICC world title in the process. read more

Temba Bavuma made history in February 2023 by becoming the first black African to lead South Africa in Test cricket. Reuters

Temba Bavuma masterminded the greatest victory in South African cricket history by helping the Proteas defeat Australia by five wickets in the final of the ICC World Test Championship at Lord’s. The win helped South Africa bury the “chokers” tag in the process as they not only held their nerve under pressure in a crunch game, a situation they had crumbled in multiple times in the past, they ended up bossing their way to victory in the second half of the game.

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‘We came in with a lot of belief and a lot of doubters’

Bavuma, however, later revealed the Pat Cummins-led Australian team did sledge them by bringing up the dreaded ‘c-word’ from time to time while the South Africans were batting.

“While we were batting, we could hear the Aussies using that dreaded word: choke. We came in with a lot of belief and a lot of doubters. We got ourselves into the final, and there were doubters as to the route we took. This win squashes that. Here’s an opportunity for us as a nation, divided as we are, to unite,” Bavuma told BBC Test Match Special.

“As a country, it’s a chance for us to rejoice in something, to forget about our issues and really come together. I hope it inspires and continues to inspire our country. For this group of players, there were a lot of doubters but the way we played would have wiped all of that out,” he added.

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South Africa, who had qualified for the World Test Championship final on the back of seven consecutive wins, were facing the prospect of losing yet another knockout game in an ICC event after getting bowled out for 138 in their first innings, conceding a 74-run first innings lead.

And despite producing a brilliant comeback with the ball to reduce the Aussies to 73/7 in their second innings, and later 148/9, a fighting half-century by Mitchell Starc ensured the defending champions set the Proteas a daunting target of 282.

Aiden Markram, however, produced the finest knock of his career and masterminded a chase to remember with a knock of 136, adding 147 for the third wicket with skipper Bavuma (66) to help the Proteas knock the runs off with relative ease.

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Pacer Kagiso Rabada was also among the standout performers in the WTC Final with match figures of 9/110 (5/51 and 4/59).

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