The Boxing Day Test between South Africa and Pakistan On Day 4 at the SuperSport Park in Centurion, Pakistan’s seasoned seamer produced a thrilling turnaround. Muhammad Abbasdelivered what can be considered one of the balls of the match. Returning to Test cricket after a three-year hiatus, Abbas dismantled the South African opener Aiden Markram with a delivery that was both sly and precise, highlighting his remarkable turn.
Game-changing delivery: Mohammad Abbas bowls Aiden Markram
The moment came just after the drinks break on day four, with South Africa needing 148 runs to secure victory and a place in the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) final. Markram, who played a key role in South Africa’s chase with a well-made 37, bounced back with Abbas’ mastery of the seam ball. The delivery, pitched just outside off, came back sharply, stayed low and broke Markram’s defense to trouble the board. The ball was so good that even Markram couldn’t help but acknowledge the brilliance of Abbas’ bowling after the initial shock.
Abbas silences critics with his tailoring skills
The dismissal was a testament to Abbas’ skill, especially given his reputation for accuracy rather than pace. Known for his ability to bowl long spells and generate movement from even the most unresponsive pitches, Abbas’ return to the Pakistan Test side has been met with skepticism by some who favor pace over his consistent line and length. However, this delivery, and indeed his entire spell in this Test, silenced those doubts.
The celebrations from Abbas were intense; his reaction after being fired was one of pure joy mixed with relief, showing how much the moment meant to him years later.
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Also WATCH: Khurram Shahzad brilliantly gets rid of Tony de Zorzi on Day 1 of Boxing Day Test – SA vs PAK
Pakistan responds
This wicket brought Pakistan back into the race, reducing South Africa to 62 for 4, still needing 86 runs to win. South Africa’s batting looked set to take advantage of the modest target set by Pakistan’s second innings and was well prepared from the early stages of the match. However, Abbas’ intervention changed the dynamics and showed that Pakistan could still fight back despite their earlier batting struggles.
Notably, after dismissing Markram, Abbas took three more scalps to reduce the hosts to 116/8 at lunch, with the home side still needing 32 runs to win.
