NEWLANDS, CAPE TOWN - SOUTH Africa earned a hard-fought 10-wicket victory over Pakistan in the second and final Test at Newlands and whitewashed the visitors 2-0 to end the summer and their World Test Championship campaign on a high note on Monday.
When Captain Temba Bavuma started his captaincy tenure about two years ago, there were not many people who could have predicted that he would lead the Test squad to the final of the World Test Championship let alone being the most successful Test captain in the current 2023-2025 WTC cycle.
⚪️🟢 Davids Beddingham (44*) and Aiden Markram (14*) wrap it up inside 8 overs and the Proteas take victory here at WSB Newlands Stadium. We also win the Test series against Pakistan 2-0 🫡
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) January 6, 2025
Cape Town, it's been an absolute pleasure 💚![CDATA[]]>💛
#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt #SAvPAK pic.twitter.com/7L9EJ4zqd6
In the nine Tests that the captain has led South Africa in, the 34-year-old has only lost one Test against India, drew one against the West Indies and won seven as he recorded a 78 percent win rate as the leader of the side.
On Monday, Bavuma (106) led South Africa to a hard-fought 10-wicket victory over Pakistan in the New Year's Test at Newlands, recording a century himself as South Africa closed off the road to the final in style in Cape Town.
Ryan Rickelton's double century, 259 of 343 in the first innings, won him the player-of-the-match award. Alongside Kyle Verreynne's (100) fourth-career century, Rickelton took South Africa to a mammoth 615 runs in the first innings.
Yes please #Proteas 🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦![CDATA[]]>🏏 pic.twitter.com/JtS5HXE1vV
— Gills (@gpricey23) January 4, 2025
In reply, Kagiso Rabada led from the front with figures of 3/55 while Kwena Maphaka, South Africa's youngest-ever Test cricketer, returned 2/43 to help the hosts bundle Pakistan out for 194 in the first innings, enough deficit to enforce the follow-on.
Following-on, the visitors put on a fight of note with openers Shan Masood and Babar Azam combining for a mammoth 235-run as they frustrated the Proteas bowling attack.
Eventually, Maphaka broke the partnership, removing Azam (81), and South Africa were back on the hunt once again. However, the visitors kept on fighting, taking the game deep into Day Four and forced South Africa to bat again having set the hosts a target of 58 to win with under an hour remaining on Day Four.
With stand-in opener Rickelton having suffered a right hamstring strain, David Bedingham stepped up and opened the batting with Aiden Markram.
Bedingham led the run-chase with an unbeaten 47* off 30 runs, while Markram finished unbeaten on 14* off 13 balls as South Africa chased the target inside eight overs.
In a proud and symbolic moment, the South Africa U19 Women’s World Cup Squad were officially capped at a special ceremony at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on Sunday.
— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) January 6, 2025
The event, themed ‘Capping Future Stars of the Game,’ was held during Day 3 of the Proteas Men’s Test match… pic.twitter.com/1hruzBHOnP