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South Africa Eyes Historic Title; All Eyes on Markram and Rabada Ahead of WTC Final

As South Africa aims to lift their first world title in international cricket, fans are placing their hopes on Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada two standout players who have consistently delivered strong performances against Australia.

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South Africa Eyes Historic Title; All Eyes on Markram and Rabada Ahead of WTC Final

As South Africa aims to lift their first world title in international cricket, fans are placing their hopes on Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada two standout players who have consistently delivered strong performances against Australia.

Australia Looks to Defend WTC Title

On the other side, Australia is preparing to defend their World Test Championship (WTC) mace under captain Pat Cummins. A win would mark a historic first for Australia — retaining the title. For South African skipper Temba Bavuma, this final offers the chance to bring home a world championship in Test cricket, adding gold to the country’s rainbow-themed flag.

Markram’s Time to Shine?

Aiden Markram is just 143 runs away from reaching 3,000 Test runs. Known for his elegant cover drives and exceptional strokeplay, Markram has yet to deliver a defining performance in a knockout ICC match. So far, he has scored only 68 runs across four such games, averaging 22.26, with a top score of 31.

Despite this, there’s optimism. Markram holds an impressive record against Australia — 480 runs in four Tests (eight innings) at an average of 60.60. This includes two centuries and a fifty, although all were scored on South African soil.

Rabada’s Big Stage Potential

Kagiso Rabada’s performance in ICC knockout games has been steady. He’s picked up six wickets in four matches, averaging 26.83 with best figures of 2/14 and an economy rate of 7.00. But when it comes to Australia, Rabada turns lethal.

He’s bagged 49 wickets in 10 Tests against the Aussies, with an average of 23.08 and economy of 3.46. His best figures stand at 6/54, with three five-wicket hauls and even a ten-wicket match performance.

Closing In on Legends

Rabada is on the verge of overtaking some of South Africa’s all-time greats. He currently has 327 Test wickets at an average of 22.00, with best figures of 7/112. He needs just four more to surpass Allan Donald (330 wickets), placing him fourth among South African Test wicket-takers. The top spot remains with Dale Steyn, who retired with 439 wickets.

In all international formats combined, Rabada has taken 566 wickets in 241 matches. He’s just seven short of passing Jacques Kallis (572 wickets), which would make him the fifth-highest international wicket-taker for South Africa. At the top is Shaun Pollock, with 823 wickets.

What’s at Stake?

As the final unfolds at Lord’s, the big question remains — will Markram deliver a memorable knock, and will Rabada continue his domination over Australia? Or will the Aussies spoil the party once again?

Playing XIs:

South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

Australia: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

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