South Africa Nears WTC Title With Markram Century Against Australia

South Africa is on the verge of a historic victory in the 2025 ICC World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's, needing just 69 runs with eight wickets in hand after Day 3. Aiden Markram played a pivotal role, scoring an unbeaten 102 runs, making him the first South African to score a century in any ICC final and only the third batter overall to achieve a hundred in a WTC final. Markram's performance included 11 boundaries and was marked by precision and patience, forming a crucial 143-run partnership with captain Temba Bavuma, who also contributed a resilient 65 not out despite a hamstring injury. This innings placed Markram alongside elite players like Steve Smith and Travis Head as the only batters with centuries in WTC finals, and he became the sixth overseas batter to score a century in the fourth innings at Lord's. Australia, the defending champions, now face a daunting challenge to retain their title and will need an extraordinary bowling effort on Day 4. The match has seen multiple records broken, underscoring the significance of South Africa's potential triumph at the iconic venue.