Follow UsThe O.R. Tambo International Airport is the busiest airport on the African continent, but it was busier on June 18 as the Proteas team, who won the World Test Championship (WTC) a few days earlier in London, arrived home.
The airport terminal was thronged by South African cricket fans, who included school kids from various prestigious cricket schools in the country. As per visuals shown on the South African sports broadcaster SuperSport, Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture had arranged a huge welcome ceremony at the airport. The welcome party included senior CSA officials and Gayton McKenzie, the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture.
As Temba Bavuma emerged with the mace, the crowd started singing the “Oh, Temba Bavuma” song as the team gathered around him, along with the support staff, and they posed for photos. Later, the players went towards the crowd and signed autographs on banners, t-shirts and placards.
Earlier, the Proteas had defeated Australia by five wickets to lift their first-ever ICC World title. Opener Aiden Markram was Player of the match for scoring a splendid ton (136) in the fourth innings. Skipper Bavuma also scored an extremely crucial 66 (134). In the bowling department, Kagiso Rabada picked nine wickets in the game, and Lungi Ngidi ably supported him in the second innings and picked up three wickets.