We know how to beat Oz: Rabada

Fiery South African pacer Kagiso Rabada, who is no stranger to beating Australia, believes the prospect of facing them in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June has already sparked anticipation and motivation in his side.

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Reigning champions Australia secured their spot in the WTC final with a six-wicket victory over India in the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney, clinching the series 3-1.

South Africa were the first team to qualify after defeating Pakistan by 10 wickets in the Boxing Day Test. “It’s actually quite some distance away, but a big occasion like the World Test Championship final gets you up for it,” Rabada said after taking a six-wicket haul in his side’s 10-wicket, second-Test demolition of Pakistan that completed a 2-0 sweep.

Up against defending champions Australia, the Proteas will start as underdogs but Rabada, who twice played a big part in series victories against Australia in 2016-17 and 2017-18, is confident of pulling off an upset.

“South Africa versus Australia has always been an intense rivalry, because we play cricket quite similar. We play hard and they’re going to come hard at us, and we know that. But we also know how to beat them,” he said.

About the significance of Test cricket, Rabada said: “One hundred per cent, Test cricket is still alive. It’s our best format that we’ve been playing right now. When you look at South African cricket and all our legends, they’ve all been great Test cricketers. The world’s best players are Test cricketers, and this series against Pakistan has been a wonderful advertisement for Test cricket, especially in South Africa.”

The Proteas don’t have any Test assignment in the build-up to the WTC final and coach Shukri Conard has said they’re looking at the possibility of a one-off match against either Ireland or Afghanistan.

“We’re going to try and get a Test match, possibly in the UK, against Ireland or Afghanistan, whoever is free. And if unsuccessful, we’ll obviously go out a couple of days earlier, and make sure we camp there really well, probably in Canterbury,” said Conrad.