WTC final: Rabada confident of South Africa's chances against Australia
What's the story
South Africa's star pacer Kagiso Rabada is confident that his team will be able to defeat Australia in the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final. Rabada's statement comes after South Africa's impressive 10-wicket victory over Pakistan, their seventh consecutive Test win. Despite admitting that South Africa will be viewed as underdogs against the reigning champions, Rabada is hopeful of their chances.
Match recap
South Africa's hard-fought victory over Pakistan
The win against Pakistan wasn't a cakewalk as South Africa toiled hard for two and a half days to bowl Pakistan out for 478 in the third innings. Despite a valiant century from Pakistan captain Shan Masood, South Africa chased down a paltry target of 58 in just 7.1 overs. Rabada's six-wicket haul in this match underlined his importance in the team.
Key player
Rabada's crucial role and confidence in team's abilities
Rabada's display in the Pakistan match highlighted his importance to South Africa's dream of lifting the WTC trophy at Lord's this June. He had played an instrumental role in South Africa's series wins over Australia in 2016-17 and 2017-18. "South Africa versus Australia has always been an intense rivalry because we play cricket quite similarly," Rabada told SuperSport after the match, confident of their face-off with Australia.
Cricket legacy
Rabada highlights importance of Test cricket
Rabada also stressed on the significance of Test cricket in South Africa's rich cricketing history. "When you look at South African cricket and all our legends, they've all been great Test cricketers," he said. He called the recently-concluded series against Pakistan a fantastic advertisement for Test cricket, especially in South Africa. With the WTC final nearing, Rabada and his teammates are ready to resume their fierce rivalry with Australia.