South African men’s cricket team have made history as they won their first ICC title on Saturday after 27 years by defeating defending champions Australia to clinch the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 title at The Lord’s Cricket Ground.
The title victory was the culmination of years of wait, many heartbreaks, and near misses as the Proteas, despite being one of the most consistent sides in men’s cricket, came up short on multiple occasions.
Before the drought-ending victory, they had lost a total of 12 semi-finals, two quarter-finals, and one final since the infamous 1992 heartbreak.
South Africa's defeats in ICC men's tournaments
ICC Men's Cricket World Cup
Semi-finals: 1992, 1999, 2007, 2015, and 2013
Quarter-finals: 1996 and 2011
ICC Men's T20 World Cup
Final: 2024
Semi-finals: 2019 and 2014
ICC Men's Champions Trophy
Semi-finals: 2000, 2002, 2006, 2013 and 2025
In the semi-final of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 1992, the Proteas needed 22 off 13 balls to beat England before rain intervened and caused a delay.
After a ten-minute break, the action was resumed and the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method came into effect, setting a revised equation of 21 runs required off one ball.
22 years later, South Africa suffered one of their most gruelling heartbreaks in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 against India.
The Proteas, who were playing their first ICC men’s tournament’s final since their 1998 Knockout Trophy triumph, were well positioned to finally end the title drought as the equation had come down to 26 runs needed from 24 balls with six wickets in hand and Heinrich Klaasen at the crease unbeaten at 52 off 26 deliveries.
They, however, stumbled and could score 18 runs in the last four overs besides losing four wickets and thus, succumbed to a seven-run defeat.
Their jinx of faltering in knockout matches had associated an unwanted ‘chokers’ tag with them but it has finally been shed with the WTC triumph.