South African spinner Keshav Maharaj believes that his team truly deserves to win the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at Lord’s, citing their remarkable consistency and resilience throughout the cycle. Despite facing challenges early in 2024, South Africa bounced back impressively, showcasing a spirited revival to earn their spot in the prestigious final.
The Proteas began the WTC cycle with a home series loss to India, followed by a defeat in New Zealand with a second-string squad. However, their fortunes turned with a hard-fought draw against the West Indies in Trinidad. From there, South Africa went on a sensational winning streak, claiming seven consecutive victories against opponents like the West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.
Reflecting on their journey, Maharaj emphasized the unity and perseverance within the team. “Not many people believed we could make the final, but our consistency and performance have been phenomenal,” Keshav Maharaj said in an interview with PTI.
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He credited the team’s camaraderie and resilience as driving forces behind their success, adding, “Hopefully, this is our year. We aim to go one step further than we’ve managed before and lift this prestigious trophy. Test cricket is the hardest format, challenging us physically, mentally, and emotionally. Given the cricket we’ve played, we deserve to raise the trophy.”
South Africa’s qualification was secured through a narrow home victory against Pakistan in the first Test, followed by a commanding 10-wicket win in the second. Maharaj has been instrumental in their campaign, taking 40 wickets in just 13 innings at an impressive average of 20.57. He trails only Kagiso Rabada, who has 47 scalps in 20 innings, as South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in this WTC cycle.
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Rabada, too, expressed excitement for the final, emphasizing the fierce rivalry between South Africa and Australia. “South Africa versus Australia has always been intense because we play a similar brand of cricket. They’ll come hard at us, and we’ll do the same. But we know how to beat them,” Kagiso Rabada told SuperSport.
As the final looms, South Africa’s mix of grit, teamwork, and individual brilliance positions them as strong contenders to claim Test cricket’s ultimate prize.
