Temba Bavuma gets his own rendition of ‘Bella Ciao'; South African dressing room after winning WTC a sight to behold
South Africa batting coach Ashwell Prince was on cloud nine after the Proteas won the World Test Championship final against Australia. The 48-year-old celebrated the win in the Proteas dressing room and dedicated a special song to South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma. It was a historic day in South African cricket history as they won an ICC title after 27 years.
Prince had skipper Bavuma by his side when Mpumelelo Mbangwa entered the dressing room for an interview post the historic win. When Mbangwa held the mic up to Prince, he broke into a song dedicated to Bavuma — set to the tune of the Italian folk classic 'Bella Ciao'—a song that became widely popular after featuring as the theme song for the hit Spanish series Money Heist.
South Africa had faced years of disappointment in both the One-Day International and T20 World Cups. However, their triumph over Australia in the WTC final finally put an end to that long wait for an ICC title—their first since securing the 1998 ICC KnockOut, the event that later evolved into the Champions Trophy.
Bavuma's men rose to the challenge, gunning down the 282-run target to complete their fifth-largest chase in Test cricket — with four of those triumphs coming against Australia. It also stands as the second-biggest chase ever recorded at Lord's.
South Africa kept their momentum rolling, extending their winning streak to eight — a remarkable run that started against the West Indies last August. This marks their second-longest Test match winning streak, surpassed only by their nine consecutive victories back in 2002–03.
Bavuma led his team from the front despite hobbling during the crucial chase, where he suffered a hamstring strain early in his innings.
After day 3's play, Prince was all praise for Bavyma's grit and determination in the middle despite his injury.
"It was a big call because of how it could affect Temba's stroke-play and Aiden's rhythm, but both were adamant that he must continue," said Prince of the decision to let Bavuma bat on rather than retire hurt.
Bavuma has faced more than the usual amount of scrutiny after his 2014 debut meant he become the first black African batsman to represent the Proteas in Test cricket.
But Prince said the 35-year-old had shown his leadership qualities by battling on through the pain barrier on Friday.
"Temba has had to fight throughout his career but this could be his defining moment," he added.
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