SA Know “How To Beat” Aussies : Kagiso Rabada Warns Australia Ahead Of WTC Final

January 7, 2025: After leading South Africa to a commanding 10-wicket victory over Pakistan in Cape Town, pacer Kagiso Rabada has already turned his focus toward the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final in June, where South Africa is set to face Australia at Lord’s.

Rabada’s six-wicket haul in the final innings against Pakistan helped secure a clean sweep in the three-match series, with South Africa winning by a margin of 2-0. His stellar performance came after a thrilling two-wicket win in Centurion. With the victory, South Africa topped the WTC standings, finishing with 69.44% of the available points, sealing their spot in the final, while Australia finished second with 63.73%, unable to surpass South Africa’s tally despite their impending series against Sri Lanka.

Reflecting on the upcoming final, Rabada spoke with confidence about South Africa’s preparations and mindset ahead of the highly anticipated showdown with Australia.

“It is actually quite some distance away, but a big occasion like the World Test Championship Final gets you up for it,” Rabada said, speaking on SuperSport’s television coverage. “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 right now.”

Rabada, who has been a pivotal figure in South Africa’s current run of seven consecutive Test wins, was quick to highlight the competitive nature of the rivalry between the two nations, but emphasized that South Africa has a proven track record against the Aussies.

“Our legends have been great Test cricketers, and this series against Pakistan has been a wonderful advertisement for Test cricket, especially in South Africa,” he added.

South Africa’s unbeaten streak in the WTC cycle has positioned them as serious contenders for the final, where they will clash with an Australia side led by Pat Cummins. Rabada’s words also underscored the significance of the occasion and the level of preparation that will be required to meet Australia’s challenge.

While South Africa has no further Test matches scheduled until the final, coach Shukri Conrad has discussed potential preparations, including efforts to secure a match against either Ireland or Afghanistan in the UK, should one of those teams be available. If this doesn’t come to fruition, the team plans to arrive early at Lord’s and base themselves in Canterbury for an intensive camp to fine-tune their game.

In addition to Rabada’s thoughts on the final, Conrad took the opportunity to praise the leadership of Temba Bavuma, who has been a standout performer throughout the home summer. Bavuma scored two centuries and three half-centuries, contributing significantly to the team’s success, and has led South Africa to an impressive 8 wins in 9 Tests under his captaincy.

Conrad hailed Bavuma’s leadership, stating, “He has played unbelievably well this summer, and full marks to him. Any captain who wants to lead from the front, they want to lead through performance as well, and that is what Temba has done exceptionally well.”

Conrad further emphasized Bavuma’s current form, calling it “probably the form of his life,” adding, “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.”

With the World Test Championship Final on the horizon, South Africa’s momentum is undeniable. As they look to challenge Australia for supremacy, the team’s unity, strong leadership, and Rabada’s fiery pace will be crucial in their bid for global Test cricket glory.