(Asghar Ali Mubarak)
Lord’s (TNS) South Africa qualifies for World Test Championship final after winning against Pakistan After South Africa’s win against Pakistan, the first position on the points table has been maintained, and it will face Australia in the final to be held at Lord’s. In the Centurion Test, South Africa defeated Pakistan by 2 wickets after an exciting match. In the first innings of the first Test match being played in Centurion, South Africa, Pakistan was bowled out for 211 runs and South Africa scored 301 runs in the first innings to take a lead of 90 runs. In the second innings, the Pakistani team was bowled out for 237 runs and set an easy target of 148 runs for the visiting team to win. However, at the end of the third day, the Pakistani bowlers troubled the South African batsmen and sent 3 of their players back to the pavilion for 27 runs by the end of the day. Opener Tony de Zorzi was dismissed for 2 runs, Ryan Rickleton returned to the pavilion without opening his account and Tristan Stubbs could only score one run. The fourth day of play was in the name of Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Abbas. Aiden Markram and captain Timba Bawuma, who started the fourth day, put on a vital partnership of 43 runs, but Abbas increased the problems of the visiting side by sending Markram to the pavilion first for 37 and then for 40 runs. David Bedingham also fell victim to Mohammad Abbas for 14 runs, Kyle Vereen lost his wicket for 2 runs, Corbin Bosh, who played an innings of 81 runs in the first innings, returned to the pavilion without opening his account. Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who came to bat at number 10 for South Africa, dashed Pakistan’s hopes by playing an innings of 31 runs off 26 balls and, together with Marco Johnson, led his team to victory. For the Pakistani team, Mohammad Abbas took 6 wickets, Naseem Shah and Khurram Shahzad took one wicket each. In the closing moments of the second day of the match, the national team’s Saim Ayub 27, captain Shan Masood 28, and Kamran Ghulam were out in the second innings for 4 runs. On the third day, the Pakistani team started the innings with 88 runs for the loss of 3 wickets, but the match could not start until the lunch break due to rain. Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel put on a 79-run partnership for the fourth wicket and took the score to 153 runs. Babar Azam was out for 50 runs after scoring a half-century. Saud Shakeel continued to bat confidently and scored 50 runs, but his courage also gave way to 84 runs, while Mohammad Rizwan lost his wicket by scoring 3 runs and Salman Ali Agha by scoring 1 run, Amir Jamal could only score 18 runs. For South Africa, fast bowler Marco Johnson showed excellent bowling and took 6 players to the pavilion, Kagiso Rabada took 2, Dean Pietersen, and Corbin Bosh took one wicket each.
In Pakistan’s first innings, the top order of the national team was a complete failure, except for middle-order batsman Kamran Ghulam, no player could show a significant performance, Kamran Ghulam was the top scorer with 54 runs. Other players included Saim Ayub 14, captain Shan Masood 17, Babar Azam 4, vice-captain Saud Shakeel 14, Mohammad Rizwan 27, Amir Jamal 28 and Salman Ali Agha 18 runs. For South Africa, Dean Pietersen took 5 wickets and Test debutant Corbin Bosh took 4 wickets.
Like Pakistan, South Africa’s top order in the first innings failed to show any significant performance apart from Aiden Markram’s 89, but bowling all-rounder Corbin Bosh played an innings of 81 runs to give the team a clear lead.
For the Pakistani team, Khurram Shahzad and Naseem Shah took 3 wickets each, while Amir Jamal took 2 wickets and Mohammad and Saim Ayub took one wicket each. Other players included Tony De Zordi 2, Ryan Rickleton 8 and Tristan Stubbs 9, while captain Temba Bavuma was out for 31 runs.
Pakistan’s playing XI included Shan Masood (captain), Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Muhammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad and Muhammad Abbas. South Africa’s playing XI included Temba Bavuma (captain), Aiden Markram, Tony Zee Zorzi, Ryan Rickleton, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Vernon (wicketkeeper), Marco Johnson, Kagiso Rabada, Dean Pietersen, Corbin Bosh.
