From Chokers to Champions: SA finally win World title!

South Africa

IMAGE: Kagiso Rabada kisses the ICC Test Championship Mace as he celebrates South Africa's victory in the World Test Championship Final at Lord's, on Saturday. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Reuters

On a serene Saturday at Lord's, South Africa finally ended decades of heartbreak and near-misses, clinching their first-ever ICC World title by beating Australia by five wickets in the World Test Championship final on Saturday.

As the Rainbow Nation erupts in celebration, a look back at some of the most painful moments when the Proteas came heartbreakingly close -- but always fell short -- before finally breaking the curse.

1. 1992 World Cup, Semi-final vs England

IMAGE: South Africa captain Kepler Wessels during the 1992 World Cup. Photograph: Reuters/Sporting Pictures

It had more to do with weather than nerves. But South Africa's fate to be the bridesmaid at major moments began at Sydney. The Proteas needed 22 runs off 7 balls with Brian McMillan and David Richardson at crease.

The skies opened up at juncture and the equation became 22 runs off 1 ball, thanks to a miscommunication on their revised target.

2. 1999 World Cup, Semi-final vs Australia

IMAGE: Australia's players celebrate the run out of Allan Donald to win the 1999 World Cup semi-final against South Africa at Edgbaston. Photograph: Andrew Budd/Reuters

The most disastrous day in South Africa's cricketing history. They needed just nine off the final over bowled by Aussie pacer Damien Fleming. Lance Klusener smashed the first two balls to bring the equation down to 1 run off four balls.

But after a couple of dot balls, a scamper for a single resulted in the run out of last batter Allan Donald.

The match was tied and the Australia entered the final against Pakistan by virtue of their earlier win over the Proteas in the Super Six stage.

3. 2003 World Cup: The Boucher Blunder

IMAGE: South Africa's Lance Klusener and Mark Boucher walk off the pitch as rain stops play during the 2003 World Cup match against Sri Lanka in Durban. Photograph: Mike Hutchings/Reuters

Co-host South Africa needed a win over Sri Lanka in Durban to enter the second phase of Super 6s. Chasing 269 for victory in 50 overs, South Africa were well-placed on 229/6 in 45 overs, when rain stopped play.

Under DLS, the target was revised to 230 in 45 overs and not 229. Mark Boucher smashed the penultimate ball of the 45th over bowled by Muttiah Muralitharan for a six before he blocked the last ball, mistakenly thinking they had already won.

Rain prevented any further play as the match finished in a tie to end South Africa's campaign on home soil.

4. 2015 World Cup, Semi-final vs New Zealand

IMAGE: South Africa's pacer Dale Steyn reacts after losing the 2015 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in Auckland. Photograph: Nigel Marple/Reuters

South Africa posted a healthy 281 in a rain-curtailed 43-over-a-side semi-final clash against the Kiwis, who needed 29 runs off the last three overs.

But Grant Elliot smashed fast bowler Dale Steyn for a four and a six in the final over, smashing 84 from 73 balls, to power New Zealand to a thrilling four-wicket victory with one ball to spare.

Another semi-final heartbreak for the Proteas.

5. 2022 T20 World Cup, Super 12 vs Netherlands

South Africa, who needed just one win to enter the semis, faced an easy opponent in the inexperienced The Netherlands at Adelaide.

But the Proteas choked while chasing a gettable 159. A spirited Netherlands' bowling attack bundled out South Africa for 145 to celebrate a famous 13-run win to end the former's journey at the T20 World Cup.

6. 2024 T20 World Cup, Final vs India

IMAGE: The dejected South African players after losing the T20 World Cup final against India at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados. Photograph: Ash Allen/Reuters

South Africa was coasting at 151/4 in 16.1 overs chasing 177 against India at Bridgetown. Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller were well set with South Africa needing 26 runs off 29 balls with six wickets in hand.

But Hardik Pandya got rid of Klaasen to spark a familiar SA collapse and they finished on 169/8, suffering a heartbreaking seven-run defeat.

7. 1st Test vs Sri Lanka, Durban, 2019

Skipper Faf du Plessis (90) and Quinton de Kock (55) guided South Africa to 259 in their second innings, setting Sri Lanka a stiff 304-run target.

The South African bowlers, led by left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, inflicted regular blows as Sri Lanka slipped 226/9.

However, the Proteas failed to finish off the match as centurion Kusal Perera (153 not out), in the company of Vishwa Fernando (6 not out), knocked off the remaining 78 runs for the final wicket.

8. Daryl Cullinan vs Shane Warne

IMAGE: Shane Warne celebrates after dismissing Daryll Cullinan during a Test match. Photograph: Reuters

This is one of the most famous personal rivalries in cricket. The magician from Down Under held a psychological edge over Cullinan, a languid South Africa batter with oodles of talent. But Warne just bullied him so much that he could amass only 157 runs across seven Tests against the Aussie at an average of 12 while getting dismissed four times.

"Hello Daryl! What colour is the couch?" Warne's sledge to Cullinan, reminding him of his session with a psychologist to counter the leg-spinner is still being talked about. But otherwise, the South Africa batter retired with 4554 runs from 70 Tests at 44.21, including 14 hundreds.