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2:01 PM local time (5:31 PM IST):That is it from this dramatic playout of cricket's longest format. South Africa confirms their spot in the World Test Championship Final to be played at cricket's Mecca--The Lord's in London—on June 11, 2025. I (Keshav), on behalf of my colleague Bidipto, bid you a goodbye. Until next time, stay tuned to Sportskeeda for more cricketing action.
Temba Bavuma (South Africa captain): This was quite an emotional one for me. Good advert for test cricket, that game. Obviously a lot of joy and happiness on our side. The match was a bit of a rollercoaster. We did it the hard way but we managed to reach the target. Not much of conversation (at lunchtime), to be honest. I was still sulking in the toilet. I guess Aiden kept the guys going and obviously tried to stay positive. I would like to stay that there was low confidence and belief in us doing it and obviously KG and Jansen were able to do it. I came out of the toilet when we needed about 15 runs but didn't come out fully into the viewing area. It was a tough one for me. It's a big one, not just for myself but also for the team, for the coach as well. Looking at the way we started our campaign as a team against India, New Zealand with not so strong team, and the way that we have come through with the performances, there were chances that we would get to this point. As a team we have overcome a lot. We haven't been super dominant with our performances but we have always found a way to make sure to bring the result on our side. Today again was a testament to that. That speaks a lot of the talent not just of this group but of South African cricket. Some time we go down on ourselves and on certain individuals when results don't go down our way. But I think performances like this can give a lot of confidence and backing to the people watching the team to understand that guys who are here are here for a reason. We would like to enjoy the moment and really take stock of what we have done and what we are set to achieve as a team. I am not sure who will speak in the dressing room, definitely not me.
Shan Masood (Pakistan captain): We played really well! But, we need to take the game by the scruff of the neck. On many occasions, like in Australia, we had the opposition 8-down and then let it slip. With the bat too, we need to build more partnerships. We had our moments, but we let it slip. That is not how we will win Test matches. We cannot keep making the same mistakes. If we want to win games, we need to finish off out batting and bowling innings too. Abbas was terrific of course, Saud Shakeel too was top class. These are the performances that win you games but then, we are on the other side of the spectrum here!
Aiden Markram (Player of the Match, 89 off 144 balls and 37 off 63 balls): Pretty relieved now! Full of emotions of course! Today was the most important, so, I would have loved to have stayed there right till the end and win it, but, we would have liked to have been more clinical. However, we are the winners and in the WTC final. I am not for milestones, it all matters if the team wins and that's what I focus on. It's challenging playing here, but I'm fortunate having played a lot of cricket growing up. Thankfully, things worked out well for me this week.
1:40 pm local time (5:10 pm IST): It's time for the post-match presentation!
1:25 PM local time (4:55 PM IST): South Africa win by two wickets
I Innings: Pakistan: 211 (57.3) | South Africa: 301 (73.4)
II Innings: Pakistan: 237/10 (59.4) | South Africa: 150/8 (39.3) Temba Bavuma: 40 (78) | Mohammad Abbas: 6/54 (19.3)
Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen took their side across the line in the period after tea by taking the bowlers front on. The hosts were in a critical situation after Mohammad Abbas and Naseem Shah jolted the hosts with four wickets in quick succession, starting with the wicket of well settled Temba Bavuma.
Late last evening, South Africa were in trouble with three wickets early on, when they walked out to the crease to chase a target of 148 runs with plenty of time left. Walking out to bat on Day 4, the two batters who resurrected their batting in the first innings--Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma--had to do the rescue job yet again. They batted patiently for the first hour with Mohammad Abbas consistently bowling Jaffas. One box was ticked.
But right after the drinks break, Abbas rattled the stumps to send Markram back to the hut. Bavuma stitched a 30-odd run partnership with David Bedingham to keep cruising towards the target. However, Bavuma's lack of awareness had him trudging back to the pavilion. If he had opted for the review, he would have stayed on the crease with UltraEdge showing a flat line as the ball passed the bat. The ball had instead nicked the right pocket before flying to the keeper. That blunder from the skipper to not opt for the DRS could have cost his side the game.
Bavuma's wicket caused a domino effect as Naseem Shah and Mohammad Abbas pounced on the opportunity front on, picking three more wickets in the next two overs. Notably, Abbas was the ace bowler for Pakistan with four of the five wickets in the session and six wickets in total. He consistently bowled in the channel to give Pakistan a chance to win this game, however, he did not receive much support from the other end.
After lunch, Rabada capitalised on Pakistan's par bowling to smack boundaries on the odd deliveries with Jansen standing tall on the other end. With every boundary, the match slid away from the visitors. Finally, Jansen slashed Abbas's short delivery just outside the off stump, through backward square leg, to book South Africa's flight to London for the World Test Championship Final. Meanwhile, Mohammad Abbas would be gutted to not find much support from the other end as he scalped six wickets and did not take a break since the start of the innings.
39.3 Mohammad Abbas to Marco Jansen, SOUTH AFRICA ARE IN THE WORLD TEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL! Slightly short around off-stump. Jansen goes back, comes across and cuts it backward of square on the off-side and finds the gap to get it away to the fence! The fifty partnership for the 9th wicket gets brought up with this four, as icing on the cake!
39.2 Mohammad Abbas to Kagiso Rabada, back of a length around off-stump. Patted away to deep backward point off the back foot for another single.
39.1 Mohammad Abbas to Marco Jansen, good length ball around off-stump. Tapped down to point off the back foot with the open bat face for a single.
Kagiso Rabada smacks two boundaries on the last two deliveries of the over and they are just 4 runs away from a win.
Malik Zubair: "What a thrilling contest it had been. Pakistani bowlers have proven a lethal spell this day as they are meant for that in the world. It was amazing seeing abbas back in this thrilling contest." -- Indeed, that's the beauty of this game. Abbas has been in great form for Pakistan, however, he hasn't found much support from the other end.
39
overs
140/8score
2nb
0
0
0
0
1
4
runs
Kagiso Rabada*
26(24)
Marco Jansen
11(23)
Aamer Jamal
0/7
38.6 Aamer Jamal to Kagiso Rabada, FOUR MORE! Slightly overpitched on off-stump and just outside off. Rabada stays in the crease and times the check drive superbly. The ball races away to the right of mid-off for a boundary!
38.5 Aamer Jamal to Kagiso Rabada, FOUR RUNS! FOUR IMPORTANT RUNS! Back of a length on off-stump. Rabada backs away and clubs it over the bowler from the middle of the bat on the back foot!
38.4 Aamer Jamal to Marco Jansen, back of a length around off-stump. Punched away square of the wicket on the off-side to the man at deep point for a single.
38.3 Aamer Jamal to Marco Jansen, good length ball on the fourth-stump line outside off. It keeps a tad bit low but Jansen manages to get the bat down on it on time and play it out.
38.2 Aamer Jamal to Marco Jansen, down the leg-side here with this short-length delivery. Jansen tries to clip it away but fails to connect.
38.1 Aamer Jamal to Marco Jansen, over the wicket, Oh! Hard length on the middle-stump line. This takes off and raps Jansen on the left glove as he fends it off. No run.
38.1 Aamer Jamal to Kagiso Rabada, round the wicket, short and wide outside off-stump. Flat-batted to the wide mid-off position off the back foot for a single. Jamal bowls a front-foot no-ball now!
Jansen knows to bat and if a bowler bowls in his arc, he's likely to put it away to the boundary. He drove a short delivery wide outside off through extra cover to the fence. South Africa require 15 runs to win. Meanwhile, Pakistan are just two wickets away.
Aamer Jamal, right arm fast medium, into the attack
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Kagiso Rabada
*
Aamer Jamal
Video
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