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As South Africa aim to secure their first-ever world title in international cricket, the watchful eyes of fans and the prayers of the Proteas audience will focus on two of their superstar players, Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada, who hold a fantastic record against Australia.
Australia will have a chance to successfully defend the WTC mace in a historic first to keep the Pat Cummins' empire going, while skipper Temba Bavuma will be aiming to add a bright hue of gold besides his nation's rainbow-coloured flag after securing his country a historic world championship in the purest format of the sport. Markram, who is just 143 runs away from 3,000 Test runs, heads into the title clash with a lot to prove. Blessed with one of the finest cover drives in the game and the class, strokeplay and potential very few can boast of, he has not yet delivered a landmark performance in ICC tournament knockout games, with just 68 runs in four games at an average of just 22.26 and best score of 31. However, fans could find solace in his brilliant record against Australia. He has made 480 runs in four matches and eight innings at an average of 60.60, with two centuries and a half-century, though all of them came at home. Rabada has a decent knockout stage record in ICC events, with six wickets in four matches at an average of 26.83 and a best spell of 2/14 at an economy rate of 7.00. However, something about the great Aussie challenge sparks something in him, as he has taken 49 scalps against them in 10 Tests at an average of 23.08, an economy rate of just 3.46, and best bowling figures of 6/54. He has three five-wicket hauls and a ten-wicket haul against the defending champions. Rabada has a chance to up his statistics in Test and international cricket, as he is just a few wickets away from surpassing Proteas icon Allan Donald to become the fourth-highest wicket-taker in Tests and outclass legendary all-rounder Jacques Kallis to become the fifth-highest international wicket-taker for the Proteas. Rabada is the fifth-highest wicket-taker for SA in Tests, with 327 scalps at an average of 22.00, best figures of 7/112 and 16 five-wicket hauls. Four more wickets would take him above Donald (330 wickets in 72 Tests from 1992-2002). The highest wicket-taker for the Proteas in Tests is Dale Steyn, who has taken 439 wickets in 93 Tests at an average of 22.95, with best figures of 7/51 and 26 five-fors. In international cricket, Rabada is in sixth place in all-time charts with 566 wickets in 241 appearances across all formats, at an average of 24.27, with best figures of 7/112 and 18 five-wicket hauls. Seven more wickets would take him above Kallis, who is placed fifth with 572 wickets in 513 matches at an average of 32.16. The highest wicket-taker in international cricket for SA is Shaun Pollock, with 823 wickets in 414 matches at an average of 23.63, with best figures of 7.87 and 21 five-wicket hauls. Will Markram unleash more of his classy drives on a way to a potential Lord's century, and Rabada add more names to his list or will the Aussies find a way again? Squads: Teams: South Africa (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma(c), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi Australia (Playing XI): Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood. (ANI)
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