South Africa Secures Historic Spot as the First Team to Qualify for the World Test Championship Finals.
South Africa needed just one victory to cement their place in the World Test Championship (WTC) Finals, and they achieved this feat in the first Test match of their two-match series against Pakistan.
Match Details
The opening Test was held at Centurion, where South Africa opted to bowl after winning the toss.
Pakistan First Innings
Shan Masood and Saim Ayub opened for Pakistan but failed to provide a solid start as both were dismissed early. The South African bowlers dominated, with Dane Paterson claiming a five-wicket haul and Corbin Bosch picking up four wickets. Kamran Ghulam stood out for Pakistan with a fighting 54, but his efforts weren’t enough, as the team was bundled out for 211 runs.
South Africa First Innings
Aiden Markram and Tony de Zorzi started South Africa’s innings, but Khurram Shahzad struck early, removing de Zorzi. Markram went on to score a composed half-century before falling. Despite wickets falling at regular intervals, Corbin Bosch’s vital knock of 81 helped South Africa post a total of 301 runs. Khurram Shahzad and Naseem Shah took three wickets each, while Aamer Jamal claimed two.
Pakistan Second Innings
Pakistan’s second innings started cautiously, but Shan Masood and Saim Ayub once again failed to capitalize. Babar Azam contributed a quick 50, but it was Saud Shakeel’s gritty 84 that provided stability. Despite this, the team managed only 237 runs, as Marco Jansen wreaked havoc with the ball, finishing with a five-wicket haul.
South Africa Second Innings
Chasing a target of 148 runs, South Africa faced early hiccups as both openers, Tony de Zorzi and Aiden Markram fell cheaply. The middle-order batters also struggled against a fiery spell from Mohammad Abbas, who took five wickets. However, small but crucial contributions from the lower order saw South Africa chase down the target, securing the win and booking their place in the WTC Finals.
With this victory, South Africa etched their name in the history books, becoming the first team to qualify for the much-anticipated WTC Finals.
Our captain’s insights💭
We sat down with Temba after the win yesterday to get the inside scoop on his approach to the days play, and how he feels after the “w” was secured!😁🏏🇿🇦#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt #SAvPAK pic.twitter.com/5hiHoog8J1
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) December 30, 2024