Australia ke “kabhi na haarne wale” Josh Hazlewood aur Mitchell Starc ka perfect finals ka record akhirkaar toot gaya! Lord’s ke iconic maidan par, World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 mein South Africa ne unhe 5 wickets se hara kar unka ghamand chur-chur kar diya. Ye wahi Australia thi jo apne aap ko Test cricket ka badshah samajhti hai, par Temba Bavuma ke ladkon ne dikha diya ki chhoti si team bhi bade sapne poore kar sakti hai.
South Africa ke liye ye jeet sirf ek trophy nahi, balki unke 27 saal ke ICC trophy drought ka ant tha. Socho, 1998 ke baad, jab unhone Champions Trophy jeeti thi, tab se lekar ab tak, unhe log “chokers” kehte the. Har baar jab bada mauka aata, South Africa ke haath se trophy fisal jati thi – jaise 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup final mein Australia ke khilaaf, ya 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup final mein India ke khilaaf. Par is baar, Aiden Markram aur Temba Bavuma ne Lord’s ke maidan par itihas racha. Markram ka shandaar 136 run ka century aur Bavuma ka gritty 65* ne Australia ke bowlers ko hila ke rakh diya.
Yeh match koi aasaan nahi tha. Australia ne pehle innings mein 212 aur doosri mein 207 run banaye, aur South Africa ko 282 ka target diya. Lord’s ka pitch, jo pace bowlers ke liye swarg hai, ne dono teams ke batsmen ko khoob sataya. Pehle do din mein 28 wickets gire! Australia ke Pat Cummins ne toh apna 300th Test wicket liya aur ek spell mein 6-28 ke figures ke saath Lord’s ke honours board par apna naam likhwaya. Par South Africa ke Kagiso Rabada bhi kahan peeche the? Unhone pehli innings mein 5 wickets lekar Australia ko jhatka diya aur doosri innings mein bhi apna jalwa dikhaya.
Ab thodi si tareef South Africa ke liye. Ye team, jo kabhi bhi Australia ke barabar nahi maani jaati thi, ne apne dum par yeh jeet chheen li. Markram, jo pehli innings mein duck pe out hua tha, ne doosri innings mein aisa khela ki Australia ke bowlers ke hosh ud gaye. Uske teesre century ke saath, unhone 2018 aur 2021 ke apne pehle do fourth-innings centuries ke nakaam natije ko peeche chhod diya. Aur Bavuma, jo ek hamstring injury ke bawajood khele, ne apne leadership aur batting se sabka dil jeet liya. Kyle Verreynne ne bhi akhiri lamho mein winning runs banaye, aur Lord’s ke balcony mein South African fans ka josh dekhne layak tha. Ye pal unke liye tha jo hamesha South Africa ko underdog maante the.
Lekin thodi si baat Australia ke baare mein bhi. Yeh wahi team hai jiska Test cricket mein dabdaba raha hai. 2023 mein unhone India ko WTC final mein haraya tha, aur usse pehle 2023 ODI World Cup bhi jeeta tha. Unke paas Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins aur Nathan Lyon jaise bowlers hain, jo ek saath 250 wickets wala attack banate hain – Test cricket ke itihas mein pehli baar! Par is baar, unka yeh firepower kaam na aaya. Steve Smith, jo Lord’s par hamesha run banata hai, is baar ek injury ke wajah se poora match nahi khel paya. Unka pinkie finger toot gaya, aur Australia ka middle order bhi toot gaya.
South Africa ki jeet ek misaal hai ki kabhi kabhi chhoti teams bhi bade giants ko hara sakti hain. Jaise 1984 mein West Indies ne England ke khilaaf Lord’s par 342 ka target chase kiya tha, ya 2004 mein England ne New Zealand ke khilaaf 282 run chase kiye the, South Africa ne bhi 282 ka target chase karke dikha diya. Yeh Lord’s ke itihas mein chautha successful 250-plus run chase tha. Is jeet ne South Africa ko na sirf WTC mace dilaya, balki unke “chokers” wale tag ko bhi hamesha ke liye mita diya.
Par ant mein, thodi si khichayi Australia ke liye. Yeh wahi team hai jo hamesha final mein jeetne ka dawa karti hai. Starc aur Hazlewood ka record toh waise bhi perfect tha – kabhi final nahi haare! Par ab? Ab toh South Africa ne unka yeh record bhi dhool mein mila diya. Agli baar jab Australia koi bada final khelegi, toh shayad unhe thodi si sharamindagi mehsoos hogi. Lord’s ke maidan par, jahan unhone 40 Tests mein sirf 7 baar hi haare hain, yeh haar unhe lambi samay tak yaad rahegi.
