South Africans will get a chance to see Temba Bavuma and his all-conquering Proteas on Wednesday when the team arrive home with the World Test Championship mace.
The team made history on Saturday when they beat Australia by five wickets in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in London.
Aiden Markram, with a well-played 136, was named man-of-the-match, while skipper Bavuma was roundly praised for scoring 66 runs while playing with a hamstring injury.
Commenting after the match, Bavuma said he hoped the victory won over a couple of their doubters.
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“It hasn’t been easy. It’s not easy being captain of South Africa. And, you know, all the, I guess all the sacrifices, all the disappointment at that moment really feels, it feels worth it, you know, when you’re going through it all, you know, giving up is always an option,” Bavuma said.
“It’s always there. It’s always there at the back of your mind, but something holds you on. And I think for me, it was, it was that moment there to be recognised as more than just a Black African cricketer, but to be seen as someone who’s done something that the country has wanted.
“So, I think that’s something that I’ll definitely walk around with my chest out. Yeah, I’d like to think I would have won (over) a couple of doubters if I could say,” said the skipper.
Bavuma’s effort in batting with an injured hamstring and scoring 66 was praised by Australian great Matthew Hayden.
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“What a champion effort. You could see early doors he was struggling with his hamstring, but he hung in there,” Hayden, who was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame last week, said, according to Cricinfo. “He played really good simple cricket.”
Bavuma and his players will land at OR Tambo at 9.25 on Wednesday morning.
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