South Africa booked their place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final after beating Pakistan in the first Test of the two-match series. The Proteas chased down a tough target of 148 runs on day four, sealing a two-wicket win at Centurion. This win strengthened their first position in the WTC standings by 66.67 percentage points from seven wins in 11 matches.
Either Australia or India will join South Africa in the final, where the race between them is intense.
Nervous stalking under pressure
Resuming the perilous overnight score of 27/3, South Africa faced early nerves. Aiden Markram went down in the 15th minute, and captain Temba Bavuma’s 40th ended with a poor shot from Mohammed Abbas. At 05:80, Pakistan sniffed a surprise.
But Marko Janssen and Kagiso Rabada had other plans. Jansen hit the winning runs, remaining unbeaten on 16, while Rabada’s gallant 31 not out kept the innings alive. The lower-ranked duo ensured that South Africa crossed the finish line in dramatic fashion.
Pakistani spirited battle
Pakistan had its moments, especially when Mohammad Abbas returned to Test cricket. He trapped Tony De Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs lbw in quick succession. Ryan Rickleton’s duck, thanks to Khurram Shahzad’s sharp review, added to the Proteas’ woes.
Earlier in their innings, Saud Shakeel (84) and Babar Azam (50) gave Pakistan hope. A strong 79-run partnership between the duo put pressure on the South African bowlers. However, Janssen’s three-wicket blast, including Babar’s key wicket, turned the tide.
Shaquille’s quiet knock ended with a lbw dismissal to Janssen’s full toss, and Pakistan’s innings fell to 136. Debutant Corbin Bush capped his memorable outing with a five-wicket haul, cleaning up Pakistan’s tail.
What’s next in the World Trade Center race?
With this victory, South Africa sits firmly at the top of the World Trade Center rankings. Meanwhile, India’s hopes of a third successive final appearance are hanging by a thread after a 3-0 home loss to New Zealand and a defeat to Australia in Adelaide.
The updated ranking shows that South Africa gained 66.67 percentage points, followed by Australia (58.89) and India (55.88). As the competition heats up, cricket fans are eagerly awaiting the final matches in this exciting World Trade Center tournament.
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