As players, you do not realise what you have done: Temba Bavuma thanks fans for heartwarming welcome

World Test Championship winning South African captain Temba Bavuma took to social media to thank fans for a warm welcome upon arrival to South Africa winning the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final.

Bavuma and his team received a grand and heartwarming welcome after their brilliant performance against Australia at the Lord's Cricket Ground in London last week.

"Thank you South Africa, what a beautiful reception," posted Bavuma on Instagram.

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A post shared by Temba Bavuma (@tembabavuma)

The successful squad was welcomed by the country's sports minister, Gayton McKenzie and by the people from across South African society in Johannesburg.

Among those present during the celebrations were children from KFC's Mini Cricket programme, the country's largest grassroots cricket initiative, along with students from the former schools of some players, including Pretoria Boys High School, where Aiden Markram once studied, and relatives like the brother of Wiaan Mulder.

The cricketing heroes signed autographs, accepted flowers and embraces and showed off their custom-made "champions" t-shirts before heading to the Cricket South Africa headquarters in the northern part of the city.

They were welcomed with a red carpet and to the tunes of a brass band. Nearly four days after their five-wicket victory over Australia in the World Test Championship final, the reality of their historic win is beginning to set in.

Speaking at the press conference, Temba Bavuma said it is quite overwhelming.

"We have not seen people like that at the airport before. As players, you do not realise what you have done, but when you start to interact with people and see the emotion, it gives you a proper insight into what we have done. We are proud as a team, but we are even happier and prouder that we have made our people proud. If you look at this team and the guys at the helm, we have done it the proper South African way. That is unique to this group. We have embraced everything that it means to be South African," Bavuma said.