Abbas played his first Test match in almost three years. He achieved the best bowling figures for a Pakistan bowler against South Africa
Pakistan bowler Mohammad Abbas made a great return to international cricket. He reached a rare milestone in the first Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park on Sunday. Abbas, playing his first Test match after nearly three years, registered the best-ever bowling figures by a Pakistan bowler against South Africa.
Mohammad Abbas’s figures of 6/54 in South Africa’s second innings were the best-ever by a Pakistan bowler in Test cricket against the Proteas, surpassing Mushtaq Ahmed’s 6/78 from 1998 in Durban. Mohammad Abbas’s feat also saw him join an elite list of bowlers to have claimed six wickets in an innings against South Africa, with notable names like Waqar Younis and Saeed Ajmal also featuring on the list.
| Bowler Name | Venue | Year | Bowling Figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Abbas | Centurion | 2024 | 6/54 |
| Mushtaq Ahmed | Durban | 1998 | 6/78 |
| Waqar Younis | Gqeberha | 1998 | 6/78 |
| Saeed Ajmal | Cape Town | 2013 | 6/96 |
| Tanveer Ahmed | Abu Dhabi | 2010 | 6/120 |
Despite Abbas’s brilliant performance, Pakistan fell short in the dramatic contest. Chasing a target of 148, South Africa found themselves in trouble at 99/6, but a resilient 51-run partnership between Kagiso Rabada (31*) and Marco Jansen (16*) guided the hosts to victory.
The second and final Test of the series will be played in Cape Town from January 3-7, 2025, where Mohammad Abbas and Pakistan will look to bounce back and challenge South Africa for supremacy in the series.
Best Test Bowling Figures by a Pakistan Bowler vs South Africa:
Mohammad Abbas – Centurion, 2024: 6/54
Mushtaq Ahmed – Durban, 1998: 6/78
Waqar Younis – Gqeberha, 1998: 6/78
Saeed Ajmal – Cape Town, 2013: 6/96
Tanveer Ahmed – Abu Dhabi, 2010: 6/120
Earlier, Aiden Markram (37) and Temba Bavuma (40) steadied the innings with a 43-run stand after South Africa resumed play at 27/3. Abbas’s incredible 6/54 had put Pakistan on the verge of victory, with Naseem Shah and Khurram Shahzad contributing with a wicket each.
South Africa’s narrow win by two wickets not only saw them top the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-2025 points table with a points percentage of 66.67% but also secured their qualification for the WTC final.
The second and final Test of the series will be held in Cape Town from January 3-7, 2025, where Pakistan will look to bounce back.
