WTC Final 2025: Temba Bavuma Sheds 'Quota Captain' Tag With Historic Victory For Success-starved South Africa

After 27 long years, Temba Bavuma joins Hanse Cronje on the list of South African captains to have led their side to glory in an ICC tournament. Bavuma's side winning the WTC Final 2025 ended an excruciatingly long wait for the Proteas, who came so close, and got so far - but in the end, it never even mattered. This was because they found ways to lose matches from winnable positions, a phenomenon that led to them being termed ‘chokers’ as far as the cricketing world was concerned. [WTC FINAL DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS]

But Bavuma's victory is a win that is arguably more special due to the circumstances that it comes in - as well as the fact that the captain has often cut a ridiculed figure in cricketing circles. 

Many feel that South Africa's quota system for cricket, kept about by Cricket South Africa (CSA) to address long-standing racial injustices in the nation, has led to Bavuma's captaincy - a tag that was definitely unfair, but followed him around a lot.

Temba Bavuma and South Africa's Controversial Quota System

For the uninitiated, the quota system mandates that both domestic as well as international teams include players from backgrounds of historical disadvantage in order to promote diversity in the sport. 

South African national teams are required to have six players of colour, with two being of African origin - but it is calculated on an average basis over the course of the season, not on a game-by-game basis. 

This has led to criticism, and even the occassional mess such as when Vernon Philander was picked over Kyle Abbott in the 2015 ICC World Cup semi-final to allegedly meet quota targets - a claim largely denied by CSA. 

But that has not stopped the speculation, nor has it quelled the criticism around Bavuma - despite the fact that he is one of South Africa's best Test batters, and was their second-highest run-scorer in the 2023-25 WTC cycle. 

Calls for Bavuma to be stripped of the captaincy have been around almost as long as he has held the designation but he has been stoic in his role and finally has vindication. 

Bavuma Deserves More Respect

Bavuma has often been the butt of jokes too - his occasional poor performances have led to sections of social media dubbing him ‘Lord Bavuma’ in irony. 

He was also widely mocked when he went unsold in the first-ever SA20 player auction, as being the national team's captain in any format and going unsold was never a good look. 

Then there are the oft-repeated jokes about his short stature, which seem funny on first reading but carry a mean and nasty undertone on further analysis. 

The good news is, Bavuma's legacy as the man who brought South Africa their second-ever ICC tournament is intact - and history will remember the gritty character more kindly, as well as affording him the respect he deserves.