Kagiso Rabada Surpasses Jacques Kallis as South Africa's Fifth Highest Wicket-Taker

Rabada Achieves Milestone in World Test Championship Final

In a remarkable performance, South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has overtaken legendary all-rounder Jacques Kallis to become the fifth highest wicket-taker for South Africa in all formats of cricket. This achievement occurred during the World Test Championship 2025 Final against Australia, held at Lord's in London on Thursday.

Rabada showcased his exceptional bowling skills in this crucial match, claiming five wickets for 51 runs in the first innings, which contributed significantly to bowling out Australia for 212 runs. He continued his impressive form by taking three more wickets in the second innings by the end of Day 2.

Rabada's Wicket Count Surpasses Kallis

With a total of 574 wickets, Rabada has now surpassed Kallis, who finished his career with 572 wickets over 19 years and 513 international matches. In contrast, Rabada has achieved his wicket tally in just 242 matches, which includes Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.

The record for the most wickets taken by a South African in international cricket still belongs to former captain Shaun Pollock, who amassed 823 wickets in 414 matches.

Australia's Resilience in the Match

In response to South Africa's strong bowling, Australia managed to recover after a challenging start. Wicketkeeper Alex Carey played a crucial role, helping Australia reach 144/8 at the end of Day 2, extending their lead to 218 runs in the World Test Championship Finals.

Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon remained not out at 16 and 1 runs, respectively, as Rabada dismissed Carey for 43 runs in the penultimate over of the day. Australia, who had been struggling at 66/6, managed to form a vital partnership of over 50 runs for the eighth wicket between Carey and Starc.