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In a nail-biting conclusion to the first Test match in Centurion, South Africa’s tailend duo, Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, managed to hold their ground against the relentless Mohammad Abbas, leading to a hard-fought two-wicket triumph. This victory not only marked a great achievement but also secured the Proteas a place in the World Test Championship final scheduled for next year.

Jansen, who remained unbeaten at 16, provided a key contribution that overshadowed Abbas’ impressive performance, which saw him take 6 wickets for 54 runs. With South Africa teetering at 150 for 8 just after lunch on Day 4, Jansen’s expertly driven boundary against Abbas was decisive as they clinched the win in the opening match of the two-match series.

“This is quite an emotional moment for me and a great showcase for Test cricket,” remarked Temba Bavuma, the captain of South Africa, who contributed 40 runs. “Although we weren’t particularly ruthless, we managed to find a way to secure this result. There’s a lot of joy on our side; it’s been a rollercoaster, but I’m thrilled we pulled off the win.”

Mohammad Abbas, returning to Test cricket after over three years away, played a pivotal role in hindering South Africa’s chase of 148 runs, delivering an extraordinary 13-over spell before lunch where the home side stumbled to 99-8, losing four wickets for just three runs in a daunting collapse.

However, Rabada upped the ante with a crucial unbroken partnership of 51 runs alongside Jansen, finishing with an unbeaten 31 off 26 balls and hitting five boundaries, thereby sealing a memorable victory and denying Pakistan their first Test win on South African soil in nearly 18 years.

Starting the World Test Championship cycle with a mixed bag—drawing 1-1 against India and suffering a 2-0 whitewash in New Zealand—South Africa has since turned their fortunes around by triumphing over West Indies, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, firmly positioning themselves at the top of the standings.

Reflecting on the implications of reaching the WTC final, Bavuma stated, “This is significant not only for me but the entire team and our coach. Given how we commenced our campaign against India and New Zealand, few believed we had a chance, but our recent performances have spoken volumes.”

India, Australia, and Sri Lanka remain as contenders for a spot in next June’s WTC final against South Africa at Lord’s.

During the match, Bavuma, with a score of 40, and Aiden Markram, scoring 37, successfully defended against Abbas for over an hour, as South Africa resumed play after the break at a shaky 27-3, still needing 121 runs for victory.

Bavuma’s controversial dismissal compounded South Africa’s woes as Abbas captured three wickets within six balls during a sensational collapse. Bavuma, who was on 40, chose not to review what appeared to be a dismissal that may have not made contact with the bat—choosing instead to depart to the dressing room.

Abbas’ relentless bowling continued as he delivered a marathon spell of 13 overs, while Markram and Bavuma managed to see off eight overs from the opposing fast bowlers. However, the breakthrough came after the first drinks break when Abbas troubled Markram, knocking off his off stump after beating him on the outside edge.

Bavuma had a few lucky escapes, one being a successful review on an lbw decision, and another when a sharp catch at fine leg was dropped by Naseem Shah, who stepped out of bounds while attempting to make the grab.

While South Africa appeared to be in control at 96-4, the loss of Bavuma ignited Abbas who capitalized by taking the edges of David Bedingham (14) and Corbin Bosch (0) in quick succession. Abbas nearly found success again right after lunch when he almost dismissed Rabada, whose edge fell just short of the wicketkeeper, as both tailenders ultimately guided the team to victory.

Pakistan’s captain, Shan Masood, expressed pride in his team’s efforts but underscored the need for improvement, stating, “We need to be more ruthless moving forward. We keep making similar errors, but it’s critical for us to capitalize on opportunities.”

The second Test in this series is set to take place in Cape Town on Friday.

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