SA vs PAK 1st Test Day 4 Highlights: Rabada, Jansen Fend Off Abbas As South Africa Qualify For WTC 2025 Final

South African players celebrating a Pakistan wicket [Source: @ProteasMenCSA/x]

South African tailenders Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen fought off Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad in a nervy chase on Day 4 of the series-opening first Test match at Centurion’s SuperSport Park. Taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, the Proteas also confirmed a spot in the 2025 WTC final.

Here’s the timeline of how SA vs PAK panned out in Centurion:

SA vs PAK Highlights: Markram, Bavuma Rectify Overnight Errors

Unbeaten opener Aiden Markram and captain Temba Bavuma steadied South Africa’s faltering innings with a cautious fourth-wicket stand on Day 4. Resuming the innings at 27-3 in the morning session, the two senior men employed calculated aggression with crucial boundaries and rotation of the strike.

Markram and Bavuma successfully took South Africa past the 50-run mark, eventually to 62-3 with the former establishing himself at the crease by scoring a valiant 37 off 63 balls. However, the senior opening batter had his hard-earned start curtailed courtesy of an absolute peach from Mohammad Abbas.

Captain Bavuma listed four boundaries and a six and formed another brief partnership with David Bedingham for the fifth wicket to steer South Africa closer to triple figures.

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SA vs PAK Highlights: Abbas Wrecks South African Chase With 3 Quick Wickets

With Temba Bavuma (40 off 78) and David Bedingham (14 off 14) rebuilding the South African run-chase, Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Abbas tore through the hosts’ middle and lower order with a spellbinding three-wicket burst, including that of both well-set batters and debutant Corbin Bosch, picking up his fifth Test five-fer in the process.

Naseem Shah also got the ball moving later in his extended spell as the young speedster knocked over Proteas wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne for just two with a crackerjack of a delivery. Abbas and Naseem’s crucial strikes sparked a spirited fightback for Pakistan, as the visitors reduced South Africa from a comfortable 96-4 to a troublesome 99-8 in a space of just 11 deliveries.

SA vs PAK Highlights: Jansen, Rabada Survive Nervy Phase To Spearhead SA Win

Still 49 runs away from victory, South African tailenders Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada fended off Pakistan’s raging pacemen for a while to reach 116-8 from 34 overs by lunch. The two fast bowlers resumed the chase in the afternoon with calculated stroke-play as they carefully ticked off the remaining runs until bringing it down to double digits.

Rabada dispatched Aamer Jamal with successive boundaries and finished his innings at 31* off 26 balls, while Jansen notched up the winning hit off Mohammad Abbas (6-54) to race to 16* as South Africa secured a thrilling two-wicket with a day-and-a-half to spare. Taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series, Temba Bavuma’s troops also qualified for the 2025 WTC final.

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