South Africa seals place in World Test Championship final with a tense 2-wicket win against Pakistan
Pakistan's Mohammad Abbas, left, celebrates with his teammates after dismissing South Africa's David Bedingham for 14 runs during day four of the Test cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Themba Hadebe]
CENTURION, South Africa (AP) — South Africa tailenders Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen hung in against relentless fast bowler Mohammad Abbas for a tense two-wicket win in the first test on Sunday that sealed the Proteas’ place in next year’s World Test Championship final. Jansen (16 not out) overshadowed Abbas’ brilliant figures of 6-54 with a square driven boundary against the fast bowler as South Africa reached 150-8 just after lunch on Day 4 and escaped with a close win. Abbas, making a comeback after more than three years in the test wilderness, had flattened South Africa’s tricky chase of 148 runs in a marathon 13-over spell before lunch on Day 4 as the home team limped to 99-8, losing four wickets for three runs.
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South Africa's Marco Jansen, left, celebrates teammate Kagiso Rabada, right, after scoring the winning runs following the day four of the Test cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Themba Hadebe