Cape Town [South Africa], January 7 (ANI): Following his side’s series win over Pakistan at home, South African pacer Kagiso Rabada hinted that plans are already in the works to battle Australia in the ICC World Test Championship final in June, saying that Proteas know “how to beat” Aussies, the ICC Cricket reported.
The Proteas closed out their bilateral cycle with a 10-wicket win over Pakistan in Cape Town, completing a clean sweep against Shan Masood’s side following their earlier two-wicket win in Centurion.
Bowling Pakistan out a second time after asking the tourists to follow on, David Bedingham brought a swift end to proceedings, scoring 47 from just 30 balls to chase down the target of 58 in just 7.1 overs.
Rabada, who claimed six wickets in the win to help the Proteas to a seventh straight Test victory, said he and his side are already looking ahead (at their Lord’s meeting with Pat Cummins’ men in June).
“It is actually quite some distance away, but a big occasion like the World Test Championship Final gets you up for it,” Rabada said on SuperSport’s television coverage after the Test as quoted by ICC.
“South Africa versus Australia has always been an intense rivalry, because we play cricket quite similarly. We play hard – and they are going to come hard at us, and we know that. “But we also know how to beat them. Test cricket is our best format that we have been playing right now,” Rabada added.
“When you look at South African cricket and all our legends, they have all been great Test cricketers. The world’s best players are Test cricketers, and this series against Pakistan has been a wonderful advertisement for Test cricket, especially in South Africa,” he concluded.
South Africa finished with 69.44 per cent of possible points across the cycle for table-topping bragging rights, with fellow finalist Australia (63.73 per cent of possible points) unable to eclipse the figure even with a clean sweep victory in their upcoming series against Sri Lanka.
South Africa do not have a Test match scheduled between now and the final, though Proteas coach Shukri Conrad has outlined potential preparations.
“We are going to try and get a Test match, possibly in the UK, against Ireland or Afghanistan, whoever is free,” Conrad said.
“And if unsuccessful, we will obviously go out a couple of days earlier, and make sure we camp there really well, probably in Canterbury,” he added.
Following the victory, Conrad saluted the work of captain Temba Bavuma, leading the team with aplomb and scoring two centuries and three half-centuries across the team’s home Test summer.
“He has played unbelievably well this summer, and full marks to him,” Conrad said.
“I think any captain who wants to lead from the front, they want to lead through performance as well, and that is what Temba’s done exceptionally well. He has not lost a game as captain of South Africa (winning eight out of nine Tests). Leading from the front, turning out the performances he has had, he is probably in the form of his life,” he added.
“I have not seen him play any better, and that obviously gives you a lot of confidence when you’re captaining as well. I wouldn’t want anyone else to be captaining us,” he concluded. (ANI)
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