South Africa’s Marco Jansen shakes hand with Pakistan’s Babar Azam after their thrilling win at Centurion on December 29, 2024. By winning this Test, South Africa booked their place in the World Test Championship final 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP

Fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen turned batting heroes on Sunday (December 29, 2024) as South Africa edged Pakistan by two wickets to win a thrilling first test at Centurion and book themselves a place in next year’s World Test Championship final.

Rabada scored 31 and Jansen 16 in an unbeaten partnership of 51 off 50 balls to see South Africa over the line and deny Pakistan a dramatic comeback victory after Mohammed Abbas took six wickets as he shredded through the home batting order.

The test had a finish more like that of a Twenty20 match as the tailenders delivered success after South Africa had slumped dramatically before lunch and seen Pakistan on the verge of success.

Rabada, who is ranked second best test bowler, emerged, however, as an unlikely batting hero while Jansen delivered the winning runs with a classy drive to the boundary.

Abbas had brought Pakistan close as he took four wickets in a marathon spell of 13 successive overs before lunch as South Africa made heavy work of chasing a modest target of 148.

Abbas, whose overall figures were 6-54 off 19.3 overs, engineered a dramatic collapse after South Africa looked headed for a comfortable victory with 50 runs needed and six wickets in hand.

His haul included the fortunate dismissal of captain Temba Bavuma for 40, who walked after thinking he had edged the ball behind to the wicket keeper but will be ruing not reviewing the decision as the television replays showed it had not touched his bat but rather his pocket on the way through.

Abbas also bowled Aiden Markram and had David Bedingham and Corbin Bosch caught behind — Bosch going first ball to see South Africa slump from 96-4 to 99-8.

South Africa, who host Pakistan in the second test at Newlands next Friday, have now won six successive tests, starting with success in the West Indies in August and following it with two-test series wins in Bangladesh and then home to Sri Lanka last month.

They moved top of the WTC standings after beating Sri Lanka in Gqeberha but needed one more test win in a series against Pakistan to make sure of a place in the final from June 11-15 at Lord’s. 

South Africa’s Marco Jansen celebrates after taking a wicket on day 3 of the first Test against Pakistan in Centurion on December 28, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

South Africa’s top-order stumbled against Pakistan’s pace attack as the first cricket test headed towards an exciting finish after Marco Jansen’s six-wicket haul had set the home team a tricky 148-run target on Saturday (December 28, 2024).

South Africa, needing a win in one of the two matches against Pakistan to seal its place in next June’s World Test Championship final, wobbled to 27-3 at stumps on a wicket where the quick bowlers have consistently troubled the batters.

Fast bowler Mohammad Abbas, returning to test cricket after more than three years, trapped Tony de Zorzi (2) and Tristan Stubbs (1) lbw in the final session.

In between Abbas’ strikes, Khurram Shahzad convinced skipper Shan Masood to go for a successful lbw television referral against Ryan Rickelton, who fell for a five-ball duck.

South Africa’s hopes could now rest with Aiden Markram, who was unbeaten on 22, and captain Temba Bavuma, who is yet to get off the mark.

Earlier, Jansen’s 6-52 helped South Africa bowl Pakistan out for 237 after rain had delayed play for three hours.

Saud Shakeel (84) and Babar Azam (50) struck half centuries, but Jansen’s three-wicket burst in four overs dented Pakistan’s progress as the visitors lost seven wickets for 84 runs after resuming on 88-3.

Shakeel and Babar dominated the pace trio of Kagiso Rabada (2-68), Corbin Bosch (1-54) and Dane Paterson (1-55) with aggressive batting in a 79-run stand.

Babar looked in good touch but, soon after completing a first test half-century in 20 innings, he sliced Jansen’s short ball straight to Bosch at deep backward point.

Mohammad Rizwan (3) and Salman Ali Agha (1) also fell to reckless shots. The former gloved a wayward leg-side delivery from Jansen to the wicketkeeper and Salman was caught behind after playing an expansive drive to the third ball he faced.

Shakeel showed plenty of composure as Pakistan stretched its lead to 136 before he missed a full toss from Jansen and was lbw.

Pakistan was finally bowled out in the last session when debutant Bosch claimed his fifth wicket of the match. (AP) ATK