Kagiso Rabada delivered a sensational performance on Day 1 of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, not only dismantling the opposition with a five-wicket haul but also etching his name deeper into South African cricket history.
Rabada claimed figures of 5/51 in 15.4 overs, helping bowl Australia out for 212. His fiery spell was instrumental in shifting momentum in South Africa`s favour during a crucial phase of the match at Lord`s.
With this performance, Rabada surpassed legendary fast bowler Allan Donald in the list of South Africa`s highest wicket-takers in Test cricket. The 30-year-old now has 332 wickets in 71 Tests, overtaking Donald`s tally of 330 wickets in 72 matches. Rabada now sits fourth on the all-time list of South African Test wicket-takers.
His five-wicket haul also earned him a rare spot in the record books. Rabada became only the second bowler to take a five-for in a WTC final, following New Zealand`s Kyle Jamieson, who achieved the feat against India in the 2021 final. Additionally, Rabada became just the second South African bowler after Jacques Kallis, who took 5/30 in the ICC Knockout Trophy final in 1998, to register a five-wicket haul in the final of a major ICC tournament.
Rabada`s overall record in knockout matches at ICC events continues to impress. He now has 11 wickets in five such matches, at an excellent average of 19.27. His five-for at Lord`s on Wednesday is now his best performance in an ICC knockout game, taking him to third on South Africa`s all-time list of wicket-takers in ICC knockouts, behind Jacques Kallis (14), and tied with Shaun Pollock and Donald (12 each).
Lord`s has been a happy hunting ground for Rabada. In just three Tests at the venue, he has now picked up 18 wickets at a staggering average of 16.83 and a strike rate of 30.2. With his performance against Australia, he also moved ahead of Morne Morkel (15 wickets) to become the South African with the most Test wickets at Lord`s. Furthermore, he became only the third South African bowler to take multiple five-wicket hauls at the historic ground, joining the elite company of Allan Donald and Makhaya Ntini.
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