Dale Steyn became South Africa’s leading wicket-taker as Pakistan posted 76-4 at lunch on day one of the Boxing Day Test.
The Proteas had the perfect start to their Boxing Day Test against Pakistan at Centurion, with Kagiso Rabada and Steyn making it difficult for Pakistan to settle, the pair removing the Pakistan openers in the first six overs. Opening the bowling in Vernon Philander’s absence, Rabada struck in his first over when he trapped Imam-ul-Haq lbw for a duck.
The hype leading up to the match was focused on when Steyn would take the wicket to become South Africa’s leading Test wicket-taker, and he answered the call in the fourth over of his 89th Test match by removing Fakhar Zaman for 12. That took him past Shaun Pollock’s mark, the former Proteas all-rounder having taken 421 wickets in 109 Tests.
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Steyn steamed in on the first ball of the seventh over and angled the ball across the left-handed batsman, who edged the ball to Dean Elgar at slip.
Rabada lifted his hero on his shoulders as his teammates surrounded him and the Centurion crowd roared and applauded the Phalaborwa Express.
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Pakistan failed to kick on from there as Duanne Olivier took two important wickets. Shan Masood chopped the speedster on to his stumps for 19, followed by Asad Shafiq who went out on seven after being trapped leg before by the recalled speedster.
Azhar Ali provided the stability his side needed to survive the first session as Pakistan went into lunch on 76-4.
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Pakistan innings 76-4 (Azhar Ali 31; Duanne Olivier 2-19, Dale Steyn 1-26, Kagiso Rabada 1-31).
Photo: Twitter/@thefield_in
