Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Cricket - South Africa return home after historic World Test Championship win - O.R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa - June 18, 2025 South Africa fans celebrate before the team returns REUTERS
South Africa’s Test championship triumph affirms cricket prowess
South Africa finally broke a 27-year drought for an ICC trophy by defeating Australia in the World Test Championship final, a win that coach Shukri Conrad sees as a springboard for even greater achievements. Jubilant scenes greeted the victorious team at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport, where thousands of fans celebrated their long-awaited success.
Clinching a five-wicket victory at Lord’s, South Africa put an end to decades of disappointment in major ICC tournaments. The emotional homecoming underscored the significance of their triumph.
Having served as Test coach for just over two years—and now recently at the helm of the white-ball squads—Conrad is optimistic that this landmark win can energize the team across all formats, as reported by Reuters.
“A robust Test side that competes regularly benefits all formats,” Conrad stated. “Strong Test players naturally elevate the standard in white-ball cricket as well, because talent translates across formats.”
The scarcity of Test matches for South Africa remains a central concern, with Conrad previously voicing the team’s eagerness for more fixtures.
Despite being crowned world champions, South Africa does not have a home Test slated until October 2026. Their next assignment is a two-match series in Zimbabwe starting June 28, for which they will field a weakened squad.
The challenge of scheduling more Test cricket is compounded by the costs involved, with Cricket South Africa facing financial constraints.
Conrad acknowledges that while South Africa may lack the commercial power of cricket’s 'Big Three'—India, Australia, and England—they make up for it on the field.
“We don’t view ourselves as underdogs. We believe we’re among the elite teams in world cricket,” he affirmed. “Though we didn’t meet Australia and England during the World Test Championship league phase, we faced Australia in the final—and that’s exactly how we wanted it.
“We see ourselves as rightful contenders at the top level. The notion of being underdogs never entered our team discussions. Australia were labeled favourites, perhaps because of their experience, but we define our own path—and now, we are the Test champions.”