South Africa romped to a comprehensive 10-wicket victory over Pakistan in the second and final Test in Cape Town on Monday (January 6, 2025) to sweep the red-ball series 2-0. The Proteas had already sealed their berth in the ICC World Test Championship final after winning the opening Test in Centurion. (Highlights | More Cricket News)
David Bedingham smashed an unbeaten 44 off 30 balls as the hosts zoomed to a meagre 58-run target in 𒀰7.1 overs on Day 4, after dismissing Pakistan for 478 runs in the third innings.
This was South Africa's seventh successive Test win. Since beating the West Indies by 40 run𓄧s at Providence last August, the Proteas have achieved 2-0 series wins against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan and qualified for their maiden World Test Champio꧟nship final in June in London.
Ryan Rickelton’s 259-run knock in South Africa’s gigantic first innings total of 615 earned him the player of the match, but he didn’t take the field ꦫon Monday because of a groin injury.
Pakistan, who were forced to follow on after 194 in the first innings, fought ꧃hard to avert an innings defeat with only 10 batters, after Saim Ayub𒈔 was injured on the first day.
Their long resistance on the flat, dry pitch was largely based on a determined century from captain Shan Masood, who batted for just over six hours before falling for 145 to 18-year-old 𒁏debutant Kwena Maphaka after lunch.
The Masood-led side started the day on 213-1 and nightwatchman Khurram Shahzad frustrated South Africa in the morning before Marco Jansen had him caught at point on 18. Jansen came close to also dismissing Kamran Ghulam without scoring in the same over but Bedingham missed an easy catc🐷h at first slip.
Ghulam hit four fours in his 28 but was undone by Kagiso Rabada off a ball that just came ⛦back enough to hit the off stump, as the batter attempted a loose drive and missed the line of the ball.
The home team took the new ball after lunch and struck twice in the next two overs. Rabada found the outside edge of Saud Shakeel on 23 and the left-hander was caught i♚n the slips, then South Africa got the big wicket of Masood. A successful lbw referral showed Maphaka’s sharp delivery hit the Pakistan skipper on the front pad.
Masood helped to narrow t✃he deficit to 109 but Pakistan were five wickets down with only four wickets left. Salman Agha (48) and Mohammad Rizwan (41) survived close lbw reviews early in their innings before spinner Keshav Maharaj, who bowled long spells on Monday, dismissed both batters.
No. 9 batter Mir Hamza (16) smashed Rabada for a straight six before he was the last man out, top-edging the pacer, who finished with 3-115. Maharaj (3-137) and Jansen (2-101) also helped as the Proteas had to grind out 122.1 ꦕovers.
(With AP inputs)
