South Africa Chase 69 Runs, Near WTC Final Victory at Lord’s

In the World Test Championship final at Lord's, South Africa is on the verge of a historic victory over Australia, needing just 69 runs to win with two wickets in hand. Captain Temba Bavuma, despite a strained hamstring, and opener Aiden Markram, who scored a century, shared an unbeaten partnership of 143 runs against Australia’s formidable bowling attack. Australia, set a target of 282 runs by Mitchell Starc's resilient unbeaten 58 and a strong last-wicket partnership, appeared to have the upper hand earlier in the match. However, the pitch flattened on day three, favoring the South African batsmen and making the chase more achievable. South Africa's required run chase is one of the highest ever at Lord’s, with only two historic successful chases surpassing it. The match remains intensely competitive as South Africa aims to claim their first ICC trophy in 27 years.