WTC final: Proteas pacer Kagiso Rabada shines with milestone; Aussie batter Usman Khawaja slips into unwanted record book
Day 1 of the World Test Championship (WTC) final between South Africa and Australia saw the Aussies bowled out for 212, while the Proteas ended the day at 43 for 4 in 22 overs at Lord's, London. As the Test match continues to take dramatic turns in England, several players have etched their names into the record books—some for remarkable milestones, others for less desirable ones.
Two such players who made it into the record books on Wednesday (June 11) are South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada and Australian batter Usman Khawaja.
Kagiso Rabada shines with milestone
South Africa's pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada made Day 1 of the WTC Final truly memorable, as he not only rattled the Australian lineup but also etched his name into South African cricket history. Rabada delivered a standout spell, finishing with figures of 5 for 51 in 15.4 overs—an effort that proved crucial in shifting the momentum in South Africa's favour.
Kagiso Rabada lights up the first session of the #WTC25 Final with two wickets in an over 🤩More 👉 https://t.co/LgFXTd0jRV pic.twitter.com/lzbtCyXNnE
With this five-wicket haul, the 30-year-old surpassed South African legend Allan Donald to become the country's fourth-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. Rabada has now taken 332 wickets in 71 Tests, edging past Allan Donald, who claimed 330 wickets in 72 matches.He also entered elite company in World Test Championship history—becoming only the second bowler to claim a five-wicket haul in a WTC Final. The first to do so was New Zealand's Kyle Jamieson, who achieved the feat against India in the inaugural final in 2021.
Usman Khawaja joins unwanted list
In stark contrast to Rabada's milestone, Usman Khawaja endured a forgettable start to his WTC Final campaign as he earned an unwanted place in the record books. The Australian opener was dismissed for a 20-ball duck, one of the longest scoreless innings by an Aussie batter in Test history.
Khawaja's struggle at the crease came to an end in the seventh over, when he edged a delivery from Kagiso Rabada to the slips. The dismissal saw him match a 137-year-old record, joining Sammy Jones, who also recorded a 20-ball duck against England in 1888.
Only two Australians have faced more deliveries before being dismissed without scoring: David Warner (22 balls vs England, Hobart 2022) and Shaun Marsh (21 balls vs India, Pune 2017).
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