London [UK], June 11 : 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 Allan 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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