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South Africa qualifies for WTC final with thriller against Pakistan

South Africa qualifies for WTC final with thriller against Pakistan

(ESPNCRICINFO) – South Africa qualified for the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) after beating Pakistan by two wickets in a high-drama encounter at SuperSport Park. They set a modest but challenging target of 148 to win, were 99 for 8 just before lunch and Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen scored the remaining 51 runs in a tense ninth-wicket stand against a tail-high Pakistan attack. .

Mohammad Abbas, on his return from a three-year absence from the Test team, bowled a marathon 19.3 overs from Hennops River End and took a career-best 6 for 54 but could not end the meager Pakistan’s streak in South Africa. This is the eighth consecutive test they have lost in the country, since 2007.

Pakistan gave themselves every chance by breaking through South Africa’s middle order on a morning of chaos, where South Africa lost 5 for 37, including four wickets for three runs in 12 balls, putting the onus on the bowlers to finish the job.

Jansen and Rabada are both skilled with the bat, but with the pressure on, every ball was an event, from the second ball Rabada faced, which he hit up and over point for four, to the last ball, delicately directed by Jansen. through the point to secure winning runs.

Those shots are also screenshots of the way the pair approached the chase: Rabada dropped back to play his shots, while Jansen was more conservative and happy waiting for scoring opportunities.

Between them, they only offered one chance, when Rabada, in the 12th over, fished wide and took advantage, but the opportunity did not reach Mohammad Rizwan. That came after lunch, at half-time South Africa needed 32 to win.

By the time Abbas found Rabada’s lead, they needed 28. Rabada scored five boundaries in his 31, the third-highest score by a batsman at 10 or below in a successful chase.
A normally nervous character, Jansen, who spoke about his game plan on the third night, was solid in defense and then scored two of the sweetest fours of his career, first when he beat Abbas’ rebound and then to seal a famous victory .

As Rabada and Jansen raised their arms in celebration on the field, South Africa captain Temba Bavuma and coach Shukri Conrad hugged in the locker room. The pair joined forces at the end of the last WTC cycle to lead South Africa in this one. Mission accomplished.