Aiden Markram appears to have played one of the finest knocks of his Test career in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final. Facing Australia, he remained unbeaten on 102* by the end of Day 3, bringing South Africa just 69 runs away from clinching their first ICC title since 1998.?
As fans dare to hope that the Proteas will finally lift the trophy, a seven-year-old tweet from Virat Kohli has resurfaced — and it feels eerily prophetic.?
It turns out Markram had already caught Kohli's attention back in early 2018, when he scored a gritty 84 against Australia in Cape Town. Though he already had a few Test centuries to his name, it was that knock that stood out to Kohli — prompting the now-viral tweet.?
"Aiden Markram is a delight to watch!" — Virat Kohli wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) in 2018.
Fast-forward to 2025, and Markram is once again making headlines — this time with a potential title-winning innings on the grandest stage in Test cricket.?
South Africa has spent nearly 30 years chasing an ICC trophy, with their journey marked by heartbreak and missed opportunities. Despite fielding world-class squads across generations, the team has often fallen short in crucial moments — earning the painful tag of "chokers" on the global stage.?
But this time, the atmosphere feels different. With eight wickets in hand, and Markram well-set at one end while captain Temba Bavuma stands firm on 65 at the other, the Proteas are closer than ever to rewriting their legacy. And to do it by defeating the defending champions Australia would make the moment even more historic.?
Still, some fans remain skeptical. Many on X pointed out how South Africa lost the final of the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup to India despite being in a winning position.
The team has endured so many close calls that even now, with victory in sight, supporters are keeping their fingers crossed — hoping that this time, the Proteas can finally bring it home.?
South Africa (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma(c), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne(w), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi?
Australia (Playing XI): Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood