The SA team climbed to fourth place in the early stages of the new World Test Championship cycle.
In the early stages of the World Test Championship, fast bowler Kagiso Rabada said defending champions the Proteas were relieved to bounce back against Pakistan, earning an eight-wicket victory in Rawalpindi on Thursday to draw the two-match series 1-1.
With their next assignment in the new cycle of the global championship to be played in India next month, where they will turn out in another two-match series, Rabada felt they had proved against Pakistan that they could compete in sub-continent conditions after they had lost the first game by 93 runs in Lahore last week.
Though he took only two wickets in spin-friendly conditions in Rawalpindi, Rabada hit a career-best 71 runs off 61 balls in the Proteas’ first innings, sharing 98 runs with all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy (89 not out) to play a key role in setting up the win for the SA team.
“There are tons of questions whenever there’s a sub-continent tour and it is quite tricky, so it’s nice to win against Pakistan in Pakistan. That will give us some confidence,” Rabada said.
Harmer reaches milestones
Meanwhile, 36-year-old spin bowler Simon Harmer was pleased to pick up his first five-wicket haul in the 12th Test of his career, taking 6/50 in Pakistan’s second innings for a match return of 8/125.
He was crucial in wrapping up the win, along with fellow spinner Keshav Maharaj, who took 7/102 in Pakistan’s first innings.
Harmer also achieved another career milestone by taking his 1 000th wicket in his 234th first-class match.
“I think as a bowler when you’re taking five-plus wickets in an innings, that’s when you’re changing games. All wickets help, but five-wicket hauls are what change games, so it was nice to get to that milestone,” Harmer said.
“And it’s even sweeter to take my 1 000th wicket while playing for South Africa. I’m not really a stats man but I think it’s a milestone that not many have achieved, so to get over the line, especially in a Proteas shirt is something I will remember for a long time.”
World Test Championship
Two matches into the 2025-2027 World Test Championship, the Proteas climbed to fourth place in the standings with a winning percentage of 50.00, tied with Pakistan.
After the series against India next month, the national Test team were set to take a lengthy break from the five-day format before their next assignment against Australia on home soil in September and October next year.
Australia are the current championship leaders after winning their first three games of the new cycle.
