Kagiso Rabada Shines as South Africa Takes Control in World Test Championship Final
Rabada's Impactful Bowling Performance
In the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 held at Lord's, South African captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bowl first against Australia. This decision placed the spotlight on Kagiso Rabada, who was tasked with leading the bowling attack. The seasoned fast bowler quickly made his mark, as reported by the official ICC website.
Rabada dismissed Australian openers Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green during his initial spell, achieving his 17th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. His exceptional performance contributed to South Africa restricting the defending champions to a total of 212 runs.
Reflecting on the innings, Rabada expressed that the Proteas could have dismissed the Australians for an even lower score. He stated, “212 is a score we would accept. We believed we could have had them at 160, but that’s just how the game unfolds,” he shared with reporters after the day's play.
As Australia found themselves at 146 for five, Beau Webster stepped up with a crucial innings, scoring 72 runs. Rabada commended Webster for his resilience, noting, “He didn’t start strongly and seemed on the verge of getting out, but his positive approach helped him survive.”
Rabada eventually claimed Webster's wicket, marking a significant milestone by surpassing Alan Donald to become the fourth-highest wicket-taker for South Africa in Test history. “Being recognized among such esteemed bowlers is a great honor,” Rabada remarked on this achievement.
While Rabada was the standout bowler for South Africa, the Australian pace attack also made significant strides towards the end of Day 1. Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and captain Pat Cummins all made breakthroughs, leaving South Africa at 43 for 4 at day's end.
Rabada commented on the challenging conditions, stating, “The ball is moving quite a bit, especially off the slope. However, I believe batters can settle in. Consistently placing the ball in the right areas will create opportunities.” He added, “Although we are at 43 for 4, it’s not the ideal start, but there’s plenty of cricket left in this Test match, and we will continue to push forward.”