JOHANNESBURG - Kagiso Rabada became the eighth South African player to reach 200 Test wickets on Thursday morning, when he knocked back the middle stump of Pakistani tail-ender Hasan Ali.
The 25-year-old Rabada is the fourth youngest to achieve that mark, while his strike-rate (balls bowled per wicket) of 40.8, is third behind Waqar Younis and Dale Steyn - who were both under 40 at the time they reached that landmark.
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Rabada’s personal achievement was the only highlight of another session dominated by Pakistan at the National Stadium in Karachi, who were eventually bowled out, after the last two wickets batted for the best part of an hour, for 378, a substantial lead of 158.
South Africa knocked off 37 of those runs by lunch with openers Aiden Markram 16 not out and Dean Elgar 18 not out.
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Hasan, who took 12 runs off the first over the day bowled by Anrich Nortje, scored 21, before Rabada removed his middle stump. But Pakistan’s 10th wicket pair, Nauman Ali and Yasir Shah then added 55 runs, as South Africa’s bowlers - aside from Rabada - lost control of their lines and lengths.
200th Test wicket of Kagiso Rabada!#PAKvSA #HarHaalMainCricket pic.twitter.com/bfh6IsuMsX
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 28, 2021
Since the second new ball was taken after 83 overs on Wednesday, South Africa had bowled 36.2 overs with Pakistan scoring 164 runs for the loss of four wickets. It’s given them a significant advantage. In 38 home Test matches, Pakistan have lost just one when they’ve had a lead of 100 or more runs.
The South Africans will face a trial by spin for the remainder of the day, with leg-spinner Yasir looming as the main threat.
The Proteas 200 club:
Dale Steyn 93 Tests - 439 wickets
Shaun Pollock 108 Tests - 421 wickets
Makhaya Ntini 101 Tests - 390 wickets
Allan Donald 72 Tests - 330 wickets
Morne Morkel 89 Tests - 309 wickets
Jacques Kallis 165 Tests - 291 wickets
Vernon Philander 64 Tests - 224 wickets
Kagiso Rabada 44* Tests - 200 wickets