Mohammad Abbas Registers Historic Figures Against South Africa

Pakistan pacer Mohammad Abbas made an impressive return to international cricket with a record-breaking performance in the first Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park.

Despite Pakistan eventually falling short, the match will be remembered for Mohammad Abbas’s stunning 6/54, a career-defining spell that not only delivered personal glory but also helped Pakistan push for a potential victory.

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.

Here’s a look at the top Test bowling performances by Pakistani bowlers against South Africa:

Despite Abbas’s brilliant performance, Pakistan fell just short of victory, as South Africa managed to chase down the modest target of 148. The match was a dramatic contest, with South Africa in trouble at 99/6. However, a resilient partnership of 51 runs between Kagiso Rabada (33*) and Marco Jansen (20*) saw the hosts secure a two-wicket 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.