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SA vs AUS WTC Final 2025: There isn't a perfect time to smash a cover drive in cricket. It's effective and attractive and doesn't matter who the batter, the bowler, the venue, or how the match has turned out to be. But if the batter is Aiden Markram, it's a different argument. He smashed a brilliant straight drive on the last ball of Josh Hazlewood's over on the third day of the WTC summit clash against Australia and after he brought up his historic hundred, it helped South Africa inch closer to lifting their first ICC title after almost 30 years.

Hazlewood had bowled a pitched-up delivery as Markram took bowlers like Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins to the cleaners. Thus Markram's knock had dented all hopes of Australia, who were trying to defend their title. Their bowlers had tried everything to stop Markram and South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma but nothing seemed to work for at least two hours and every boundary that Markram smashed only dented Australia's hopes bit by bit.

Markram was in no rush to score his last three runs to bring up his century. He just waited for the right time and scored a single in the next eight balls. And just when it looked like both South Africa and Markram's hundred would have to wait for the fourth day, an exhausted Hazlewood bowled a wrong delivery which went towards the leg side during the last over at stumps on Day 3.

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Markram's eye was then seen shining. He timed the shot brilliantly and smashed the ball towards the square leg area. When the ball went for a four, the fans, who were present at the venue lauded him.

Watch the video here:

Markram then removed his helmet, looked towards the sky, and was seen wiping tears from his cheeks. He was waiting for his hundred for the last 20 minutes. This was his eighth Test hundred and he scored it after getting dismissed for a duck during Mitchell Starc's first over in the first innings. Markram's celebrations weren't loud as he knew that the job wasn't done. The Temba Bavuma-led side still needed 69 runs from scripting history.

AB De Villiers records Aiden Markram's century on his phone

The Proteas had one of the best cameramen to have recorded this wonderful moment. Ab De Villiers, who was trying to hide his emotional eyes, took out his phone and recorded Markram's historic century. This wasn't just Markram's moment but it was the whole of South Africa, a nation, that hasn't won a single ICC trophy in the last 30 years.

"De Villiers is standing. Lord's is standing and Markram deserves every bit of it," Shaun Pollock was heard saying on air.

South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma was standing a few meters away. He didn't try to take away Markram's moment and when Markram was done celebrating, Bavuma was seen hugging the batter.

Markram had played Hazlewood's last ball with conviction. Since South Africa still needed 69 more runs to win, Markram knew that the job wasn't done, despite scoring 102 runs off 59 balls, and that he had helped the team inch closer to scripting history.

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