Fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen turned batting heroes on Sunday 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, back in the team after a three-year absence, 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.
