Temba Bavuma calls out Australia’s distasteful sledging after WTC win: ‘When we were batting, we could hear…’

After years of falling short at or right before the final hurdle, South Africa finally made that final step that leads to silverware. It has been an albatross hanging around the South African team's neck, with an inability to convert deep tournament runs into championship titles. Things changed as Aiden Markram and skipper Temba Bavuma guided a 282-run chase at Lord's, to establish themselves as national heroes in their homeland. Temba Bavuma celebrates on the famous Lord's balcony after South Africa clinch the win over Australia.(AFP)

Beyond battling against Australia's strong team and winning mentality to achieve the victory, South Africa had to overcome this mental burden of their own — and one which the Aussies made a point of pressuring on the pitch in their interactions with the Proteas. Bavuma confirmed as much in his post-match quotes.

“While we were batting we could hear the Aussies using that dreaded word: choke,” said Bavuma. “We came in with a lot of belief and a lot of doubters. We got ourselves into the final, 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.”

‘Wiped out all the doubters…’

South Africa’s latest heartbreak was the 2024 T20 World Cup final, where they lost the match against India from a winning position. This match, however, was sweet revenge for their painful 1999 World Cup semifinal loss to Australia, also on English turf.

“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,” continued the Protean skipper, emphasising that the team’s collective strength was a big reason for their success.

His reliable deputy and man-of-the-match Markram echoed these thoughts, speaking about how shedding that tag would be a boost for this team heading into the future.

“It’ll be great to not have to hear that again. To have got the job done and to get rid of that is quite a big thing for this team. All the questions that have been asked in the past have now been answered,” concluded the sole centurion of the match.

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