An emotional Keshav Maharaj has admitted he is already beginning to dream of what victory in the ICC World Test Championship Final would mean for South Africa, as the Proteas closed in on history at Lord’s on Friday.
With just 69 runs needed and eight wickets in hand going into Day 4, South Africa are within touching distance of their first ICC men’s trophy since 1998. At stumps on Day 3, they stood at 213/2 thanks to a masterful unbeaten partnership between Aiden Markram and skipper Temba Bavuma, a stand worth 143 that has tilted the match decisively in their favour.
“It would mean everything,” said a visibly moved Maharaj while speaking to ICC Digital. “Not just us (the players) out there or the fans here, but to everyone back home. To see how long it’s taken for this country to hold some sort of ICC final trophy in their hands… I’m sorry, I’m getting a bit teary-eyed, but I think it would be a privilege to be a part of, because we faced a lot as our country. And to see it come—well not to get ahead, but to nearly get there—is a very special feeling. So special.”
The potential victory would also be a defining moment in the tenure of coach Shukri Conrad, who has reinvigorated the Test setup. Maharaj was full of praise for the team effort, particularly highlighting Kagiso Rabada’s standout role and the grit of the batting unit.
“Kudos to Aiden,” Maharaj said of Markram, who responded to a first-innings failure with a sublime century. “I saw a different sort of desire and focus in Aiden’s eyes today… He’s a big match player and big players rise up to the moment and rectify their mistakes very quickly. There’s no better fitting moment for him to get a Test hundred here at Lord’s in a final, against probably a team that I don’t think they’ve ever lost a final.”
Markram was ably supported by Bavuma, who battled through a hamstring niggle to remain unbeaten at stumps. Maharaj praised his skipper’s courage: “He had a little bit of a niggle, but the warrior and fighter that he is was there with Aiden to support it. It was amazing to hear how they complemented each other when they came off at the tea break, just hearing about how they’re going to go about their business and understanding that obviously Temba can’t run at full tilt, but Aiden embraced that.”
With one good session possibly separating South Africa from a long-awaited ICC triumph, Maharaj and his teammates are now just a few runs away from ending decades of heartbreak and lifting the coveted mace at the Home of Cricket.
