South Africa beat Pakistan in 1st Test, enter WTC final
South Africa have entered the final of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 to be held in June 11-15 at Lord's, London. The Proteas beat Pakistan in the Boxing Day Test. Pakistan had set South Africa a 148-run target. The hosts were 27/3 at stumps on Day 3. On Day 4, Pakistan reduced SA to 99/8. However, Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen stood tall.
Summary of the Centurion Test
Pakistan were bowled out for 211 in the 1st innings. Dane Paterson claimed a fifer whereas debutant Corbin Bosch picked 4 wickets. In response, SA were 213/8 at one stage before they got 301. Markram (89) and Bosch (81*) shone. Pakistan scored 237 in the 3rd innings with Saud Shakeel scoring 84 and Marco Jansen claiming six scalps. SA (150/8) won the Test thereafter.
1st innings: Pakistan's Kamran Ghulam slams 54
Ghulam scored a valuable 54 runs from 71 balls. He hit 8 fours and a six. Notably, he reached his fifty from 52 balls. He was dismissed by Paterson. Ghulam struck his maiden fifty in Tests. He owns a ton as well. Ghulam managed 4 runs in the 3rd innings. In three matches (5 innings), Ghulam owns 205 runs at 41.
Babar surpasses 4,000 runs in Test cricket
Babar Azam scored a paltry 4 runs in the first innings. The Pakistan team stalwart breached the 4,000-run mark in Tests. He needed three runs to attain the milestone. He reached the milestone in the 101st inning of his career. Notably, Babar became just the 12th Pakistani batter to go past 4,000 Test runs.
Paterson floors Pakistan with 5/61 (1st innings)
Paterson claimed 5/61 from 16 overs which included four maidens. It was a fine performance by the pacer as Pakistan were knocked over in 57.3 overs. This was his 2nd Test fifer and a first versus Pakistan. The 3rd innings saw Paterson claim 1/55 from 18 overs. In 7 matches, Paterson has claimed 25 Test wickets. As per ESPNcricinfo, Paterson owns 609 First-Class wickets.
Corbin Bosch claims four-fer on Test debut
Bosch managed to claim figures worth 4/63 in 15 overs. It was a solid outing for the 30-year-old. He followed that up with 1/54 in 11.4 overs in Pakistan's 2nd innings. In 35 First-Class matches, Bosch has raced to 77 wickets at around 36. He managed his 4th four-wicket haul in FC cricket. He owns one fifer.
Bosch slams 81* for SA to help them reach 301
Bosch showed his brilliance with the bat. SA were 213/8 at one stage as Bosch hammered an unbeaten 81 to help his side score 301/10. Bosch was at his aggressive best. He smashed 15 fours in his knock of 81* from 93 balls. He added 41 runs alongside Kagiso Rabada. Thereafter, he shared another pivotal stand of 47 runs alongside Paterson.
11th fifty in FC cricket for Bosch
Bosch registered his career-best score in First-Class cricket. Notably, 69 was his best score coming into this contest. He has raced to 1,376 runs with the help of 11 fifties. As per ESPNcricinfo, he averages close to 41.
Records made by Bosch
Bosch has posted the highest score by a No. 9 batter on debut in Test cricket. He broke the record of Milan Rathnayake (Sri Lanka) - 72 (135) - vs England (Manchester, 2024). He also became the first player in the history of the sport to score a half-century and take a four-fer on debut.
Markram shines with the bat for South Africa
Aiden Markram smashed 89 runs in the 2nd innings. He dug in and showed his character. He scored 47* runs on Day 1 and then hung in for another 42 on Day 2. Khurram Shahzad dismissed Markram, who scored 89 runs from 144 balls. He hit 15 fours. This was Markram's 13th fifty in Tests (100s: 7). He also surpassed 400 fours.
4th fifty versus South Africa for Babar
Babar was dismissed for an 85-ball 50 in the 3rd innings. Playing his 56th Test (102 innings) Babar owns 4,051 runs at 43-plus. He slammed his 27th fifty in Tests (100s: 9). He owns 397 runs versus the Proteas at 33.08. This was his 4th fifty against SA. In 32 away Tests, he has 1,934 runs. This was his 16th away fifty (100s: 2).
Babar slams a fifty in Tests after 19 innings
In 5 Tests this year, Babar finished with 202 runs at 20.20. This was his maiden fifty. Notably, since his last fifty-plus score, Babar went 19 innings without a fifty in Test cricket.
Saud Shakeel completes 1,500 Test runs
Shakeel, who scored 14 runs in the first innings, made amends with a well-constucted knock of 84 from 113 balls. He smashed 10 fours and a six. Shakeel's 84 took him to 1,504 runs at 55.70. He slammed his 8th Test fifty (100s: 4). He also surpassed 150 fours (156). Shakeel raced to 6,333 runs in First-Class cricket at 51-plus.
Shakeel makes this record for Pakistan
As per Cricbuzz, Shakeel owns the most runs after first 16 Tests for Pakistan. 1,504 - Saud Shakeel (Avg: 55.7), 1,501 - Saeed Ahmed (Avg: 51.76), 1,351 - Javed Miandad (Avg: 67.55), 1,330 - Abdullah Shafique (Avg: 47.5), 1,302 - Taufeeq Umar (Avg: 46.5).
Marco Jansen rattles Pakistan with 6/52
Jansen, who took 1/43 in the first innings, recorded figures worth 6/52 from 14 overs in the 3rd innings. He owns 70 Test scalps from 16 matches at 20.74. He claimed his third five-wicket haul. Jansen owns a tally of 48 scalps at home from 9 matches, averaging 18.27. Jansen also recorded the 7th-best bowling figures by South African bowlers against Pakistan in Tests.
Markram scores 37 runs in the 4th innings
Markram was once again a thorn for Pakistan. He scored 37 runs from 63 balls in the 4th innings. SA were 19/3 at one stage before Markram and Temba Bavuma added 43 runs. Markram has 2,826 Test runs at 35.77.
Mohammad Abbas shines with the ball
Abbas, who returned to the scheme of things for Pakistan, handed Pakistan a chance to win the match. He was superb on Day 4. After claiming 1/79 in the 2nd innings, Abbas ruled the show with a 6-wicket spell in the 4th innings. Abbas took his 5th five-wicket haul in Tests. He has also raced to 97 wickets.
Jansen and Rabada frustrate Pakistan
Pakistan were well in front and needed two wickets to seal the contest. However, an unbeaten 51-run stand between Jansen (16*) and Rabada (31*) helped the hosts claim a thrilling win. Pakistan bowled poorly in the 2nd session and made it easy.
SA enter their maiden World Test Championship final
South Africa entered their maiden World Test Championship final. The Proteas had earlier finished sixth in the inaugural 2019-21 cycle. This was followed by a third-placed finish in the 2021-23 cycle. And now, SA, who lead the ongoing standings, have reached the summit clash with a game to spare. Australia or India could be South Africa's opponent in the final.
