4 Pacers, Just 1 Spinner: South Africa's Possible Bowling Combination To Win Historic WTC Final

SA bowling combination for WTC finals [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]

The stage is set as the wait is almost over and from T20 cricket the focus will now shift towards Test cricket with the World Test Championship (WTC) final coming up in just a few days time. The defending champions, Australia will collide with South Africa in a riveting battle at the iconic Lord's.

The Temba Bavuma led South African side will be gunning for their maiden WTC title and their second ICC title overall. The Proteas did well in the WTC cycle 2023-25 but will face a stern challenge against a strong Australian team led by the ever-reliable Pat Cummins.

However, not all is lost for the Proteas as they have one of the best red-ball attack in the world and it could cause trouble for Aussie batters. To win the Championship, South Africa need a solid bowling combination and here's how their possible bowling lineup could look like in the finale.

The killer duo of Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen will hold the key for the Proteas if they are to win the WTC final against Australia. On a seaming deck at Lord's the duo could provide a solid challenge to the Australian batters as the two are very different in their skillset.

While Rabada is primarily a seam bowler, he also has the capability to hit the deck and pepper the Aussies with his sheer pace and bounce. Jansen, on the other hand will provide the left-arm angle and can extract extra bounce due to his height advantage. His record against Australia may not be the best, but Rabada certainly has a stellar record.

(Rabada Vs Australia)

X-Factor Corbin Bosch and Mulder to form formidable Quartet

Corbin Bosch came into limelight during his Test debut Vs Pakistan recently. The all-rounder wreaked havoc and was a trouble-maker for Pakistan with his sheer pace. He, alongside Rabada can click around 145 km/h and this could pose significant problem for Australia.

Plus, he can also contribute with the bat and that could come in handy in the lower order for the Proteas side. Wiaan Mulder will most likely be the fourth pacer in the playing XI. The Proteas team favours Mulder and he can also be used as a flexible batter.

He can bat in top 6 if needed, can play at 7 and thus he becomes vital for the team, not only as a genuine seam bowler, but also as a handy batter for the team.

Maharaj, the lone spinner

Steve Smith is Australia's best player and if he gets dismissed, the Aussie batters will crumble. To do the job, South Africa needs Keshav Maharaj. The left-arm spinner has a terrific record against the modern day Bradman and could be a threat for Smudge.

(Maharaj vs Steve Smith)

As the table suggests, Maharaj has had Smith's number and the trend could continue in the WTC finale as well. 

Hence, to win the WTC final, the Proteas should go in with 4 quality pacers, and a lone spinner in Maharaj as this lineup offers variety and also has the Australian numbers.

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