South Africa, wo team jo hamesha bade mauke par ladkhada jati thi, jise duniya ‘chokers’ ke naam se janti thi. Har baar, jab World Cup ya koi bada tournament aata, Proteas ke fans dil thaam ke baithte, aur har baar dil toot jata. 1999 ka Edgbaston ka woh semifinal, jahan Allan Donald ka run-out ne South Africa ke sapno ko chur-chur kiya, ya phir 2015 ka Auckland ka heartbreak, jahan Grant Elliott ne unke World Cup ke khwab ko toda – bas yahi kahani baar-baar. Aur upar se Australia jaise teams ka woh mazak, “Chokers, chokers!” – jaise South Africa kabhi bada jeet hi nahi sakti. Lekin 14 June 2025 ko, Lord’s ke maidan par, Aiden Markram aur Temba Bavuma ne us ‘chokers’ ke tag ko hamesha ke liye dafn kar diya. World Test Championship (WTC) final mein Australia ke khilaaf jeet – woh bhi unke ghar mein! – yeh koi chhoti baat nahi thi.
Chalo, thodi si baat us jeet ki. South Africa ko 282 runs chase karne the, aur yeh Lord’s ka pitch tha, jahan 344 ka chase hi ab tak ka highest tha, woh bhi 1984 mein West Indies ne kiya tha. Australia ka bowling attack – Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, aur Nathan Lyon – yeh koi mamuli line-up nahi tha. Duniya ke sabse khatarnak bowlers, jo kisi bhi team ko din mein taare dikha sakte hain. Lekin Markram, jo pehle innings mein zero pe out hua tha, ne aise jawab diya jaise woh koi purana badla chuka raha ho. 136 runs, 207 balls, aur ek aisa temperament jo shayad hi kisi ne usme pehle dekha ho. Saath mein Temba Bavuma, jo hamstring injury ke bawajood 66 runs banaye, aur team ko us waqt sambhala jab pressure sabse zyada tha. Yeh dono nahi hote, toh shayad kahani wahi purani hoti – ek aur choke, ek aur haar.
Yeh jeet sirf ek trophy nahi thi; yeh South Africa ke cricket ke liye ek naya chapter tha. Socho, ek team jo 1992 ke baad se ICC events mein bas thokar khaati aayi thi, jiska ek hi global title tha – 1998 ka ICC Knockout Trophy. Uske baad, har baar jab woh final ya semi-final ke kareeb pahunchte, koi na koi hungama ho jata. 2003 World Cup mein apne hi calculation galat kar baithe, 1992 mein DLS ne unka sapna cheen liya, aur 2024 ka T20 World Cup final mein India ke haathon woh itne kareeb aakar bhi haar gaye. Lekin is baar, Lord’s ke maidan par, unhone na sirf Australia ko haraya, balki apne us purane darr ko bhi. Markram ki century aur Bavuma ka grit – yeh dono cheezein South African cricket ke fans ke dil mein hamesha ke liye jagah banayengi.
Ab thodi tareef aur players ki. Kagiso Rabada, jiska match mein 9 wickets lena (5-51 pehle innings mein aur 4-59 doosre mein), us jeet ka ek bada hissa tha. Rabada ne Australia ke top order ko aise dhvast kiya jaise woh koi local team ho. Steve Smith (66) aur Beau Webster (72) ke alawa koi unka saamna nahi kar saka. Aur phir Kyle Verreynne, jinhone aakhri lamho mein nerves ko control kiya aur jeet ke runs banaye, jab score level tha aur tension apne peak par. Yeh jeet ek team effort thi, jahan har player ne apna role ada kiya, chahe woh Markram ka bat ho, Rabada ka ball ho, ya Bavuma ka leadership.
Is jeet ne South Africa ke cricket ko ek naya boost diya. Temba Bavuma, jo pehla black South African captain bana, usne na sirf team ko lead kiya, balki ek aisa example set kiya jo aane wali generations ko inspire karega. Unka 66 runs ka innings, jab woh injury ke bawajood khel rahe the, shayad South Africa ke cricket history ka sabse yaadgaar moment ban gaya. Aur Markram, jiska career kabhi upar kabhi neeche raha, usne apne critics ko chup kar diya. X par fans ne toh jashn manaya, kaha, “Ab chokers nahi, champions!” (@YasArafat12) Yeh jeet un sab fans ke liye thi jo 33 saal se intezaar kar rahe the, un sab ke liye jo har haar ke baad bhi team ke saath khade rahe.
Lekin, thodi si reality check bhi zaroori hai. Yeh jeet badi hai, lekin kya yeh South Africa ko hamesha ke liye badal degi? Cricket ek aisa khel hai jahan aaj ka hero kal ka zero ban sakta hai. Markram ne 136 banaye, lekin uske pehle innings mein zero bhi toh tha. Bavuma ne leadership dikhai, lekin unka injury-prone career bhi ek sachchai hai. Aur Australia? Woh toh waise bhi wapas aayenge, aur shayad agle tournament mein phir se South Africa ke sapno ka pichha karenge. Yeh jeet ek shandaar pal hai, lekin cricket mein ek pal kabhi puri kahani nahi likhta. South Africa ne chokers ka tag toh hata diya, lekin kya woh is naye confidence ko carry kar payenge? Ya phir, agli baar jab pressure aayega, wahi purana darr wapas aa jayega?
