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South African all-rounder Aiden Markram's iconic 136 at Lord’s helped his team clinch a historic ICC World Test Championship Final triumph — and Ricky Ponting believes it ranks among the finest performances ever seen on cricket’s grandest stage.

Reflecting on his own iconic innings of 140 in the 2003 World Cup Final and a match-winning 111* in the 2009 Champions Trophy  Ponting told ICC Digital, “When you look back through big ICC events…this one's got to be absolutely as good as any of those, considering the stage, considering where South African cricket's been over the last couple of years."

Ponting praised Markram’s calm under pressure, saying:

"To be able to stand up and perform like that when your team needs you the most is what reputations are made of. I think everyone's always known how good a player Aiden Markram was."

He expressed disbelief that Markram had been overlooked for earlier tours, adding, "I must admit, a couple of years ago when South Africa toured Australia, I couldn't believe that Aiden Markram wasn't in that touring squad at all."

After receiving an axe from the red-ball set-up, Markram bounced back with a fine 115 in early 2023 and steady performances in the format. But this century at Lord’s — where South Africa chased 282 runs to claim their first major ICC title in 27 years — stands as his defining moment.

A Century for the Ages

Markram’s 136 in the 2025 Final not only secured the WTC title, but lifted his nation’s spirits, breaking a barren run of titles in ICC tournaments. His partnership with captain Temba Bavuma (who chipped in with a resilient 66 despite a hamstring strain) proved decisive. Their stand in the fourth innings turned the match — and the destiny of South African cricket.

With acclaim now pouring in, including from former England batter Kevin Pietersen who also described the innings as “the greatest ever by a South African”, Markram’s Lord’s heroics may well stand the test of time in cricket lore. Ponting’s praise echoes the sentiment: this wasn’t just a century — it was a legacy-defining masterpiece.