‘It Will Still Be Nervy Sleep…’: Kevin Pietersen Lauds Aiden Markram-Temba Bavuma

Last Updated:June 13, 2025, 23:35 IST

Kevin Pietersen has praised Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma for their potentially match-winning partnership in the WTC final.

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has praised Aiden Markram and South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma after they built a seemingly match-winning partnership to take their team close to a historic title win in the World Test Championship final at the Lord’s against the mighty Aussies.

Opener Markram, dismissed for a duck in the first innings, was 102 not out and Bavuma unbeaten on 65 despite spending most of his innings limping with a hamstring injury.

Markram, aggressive from the outset, punched and pulled Australia skipper Pat Cummins for well-struck boundaries.

“V v v v v good from Markram & Bavuma! With victory being so close, it’ll still be a nervy sleep! I hope Lords is at capacity tomorrow morning for the first ball,” Pietersen tweeted on Friday night.

Australia spinner Nathan Lyon almost dismissed both Markram and Bavuma, with the centurion aiming a booming drive at a turning off-break, just to miss the delivery before it beat wicketkeeper Alex Carey as well.

Markram went to 97 with a brilliant straight-driven four off Josh Hazlewood and, before stumps, clipped the pacer through midwicket to complete his century with an 11th boundary in 156 deliveries faced.

“A century of the highest class from Aiden Markram! 💯🔥 Composed under pressure, fearless in execution, what a time for a knock for the ages. 💪,” Cricket South Africa tweeted.

“The last time Aiden Markram had a 50+ score in an ICC final 👀⏳,” his IPL team, Lucknow Super Giants, tweeted, with an image from the 2014 U19 World Cup, where Markram led his team to a win against Pakistan in the final.

Part-time spinner Markram succeeded where the frontline bowlers had failed when Hazlewood holed out to end a 59-run stand for the last wicket.

First Published: