South Africa celebrates new cricket champions

After decades of eating humble pie as the supposed “chokers” in international cricket tournaments, the Proteas men are about to up their game dramatically after being invited to have dinner with President Cyril Ramaphosa.

That’s according to a gushing Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie, who welcomed the heroes at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg yesterday, as they arrived home clutching the impressive mace signifying that they are the 2025 Test cricket champions of the world.

“You must not underestimate what you’ve achieved, both on and off the field, and what you’ve done for South Africa,” McKenzie said.

‘You are true champions’

“You represent who we are and who we aspire to be. You are true champions.”

Returning home to a rapturous welcome from fans, captain Temba Bavuma said the magnitude of the Proteas’ achievement in London last week only really sank in when he and his squad entered the arrivals hall at the airport.

Supporters of the South Africa men’s Cricket Team, the Proteas, gather at the O.R. Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park on June 18, 2025 ahead of their arrival after winning the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship at Lord’s. (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP)

Bavuma admitted the Proteas were taken aback by the thousands of people who turned up to welcome the team home after they won the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s.

The victory ended a 27-year trophy drought for the national cricket side, who last won a championship final at the 1998 Champions Trophy tournament.

“It was quite overwhelming. I’ve never seen a lot of people like that [on arrival in SA] before,” Bavuma said.

Bavuma ‘overwhelmed’ by fans

“It was quite different to the last time we came back from a World Cup. We have a lot more happier faces this time.

“And I think for us as players – at least for myself – you don’t really realise what you’ve done, but to start to interact with people back home, to see the emotion and to hear the things they’re saying really gives us a proper insight into what we’ve done.

“So we’re proud, obviously, as a team to have been able to achieve something like this, but we’re even happier that we’ve made our people proud.

“If you look at our team and the guys at the helm, we’ve done it the proper South African way, which I think is unique to this group, that we’ve embraced everything it means to be South African.”

McKenzie heaped praise on Bavuma, whom he called “the greatest SA captain in the history of Test cricket”, as well as head coach Shukri Conrad, whom he referred to as the “best cricket coach in the whole world”.

‘Best cricket coach in the whole world’

For the first time, South Africa holds world titles in both rugby and cricket and the Springbok leadership were also full of praise for the Proteas.

The national cricket team management spent some time with the rugby squad’s leaders during a Bok alignment camp ahead of the World Test Championship final.

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said it was pleasing for the fourtime rugby world champions to see their cricket counterparts securing an international trophy after receiving widespread criticism for being given an allegedly easier path to the final than some other countries.

“We know it has been a tough journey for the Proteas, not just in the one-day game but also in Tests, so to do something like this was huge,” Kolisi said.

“And to do it in the manner that they did, with all the noise around them about only playing a few Tests and that other countries deserved to be there.

‘It wasn’t just one person that stood up’ – Kolisi

“The great thing about it is that it was a team effort. It wasn’t just one person that stood up.”

 

Fans who could not make it to the airport yesterday will have another opportunity to celebrate with the Proteas today at Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton between 1pm and 3pm.

 

The first 100 fans to arrive at the event will receive an exclusive WTC Champions shirt.

There will also be spot giveaways throughout the celebratory event and one supporter will be invited on stage for a photo with the national squad.

 

 

Issued on The Citizen (South Africa) by Wesley Botton | https://www.citizen.co.za/sport/cricket/south-africa-celebrates-new-cricket-champions/