Mohammad Abbas almost pulled a rabbit out of a hat for Pakistan vs SA, so much so that Mohammad Amir asked why the Pakistan coaches took so long to bring him back.
Mohammad Abbas made a three-year Test cricket layoff look like a bad dream after returning to the Pakistan squad with a bang in the first Test of the tour of South Africa, taking seven wickets, including a second innings six-fer to bring Pakistan within inches of notching up a memorable victory in Centurion.
Although Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen’s spirited tail-end effort ensured a two-wicket win for the Proteas, Abbas’s brilliance on day four at SuperSport Park complicated an otherwise simple chase for the hosts. Abbas concluded with 6-54 in 19.3 overs.
Abbas put in a heroic effort on his return to Test cricket, and his non-selection having been a major point of contention against the PCB and Pakistan management in recent years, his former teammate Mohammad Amir used social media to express his thoughts.
In an extended marathon spell of 15 overs, Abbas was consistently threatening and on the money. Having dismissed Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs late on day three, Abbas returned and accounted for the massive wickets of Aiden Markram and Temba Baume, bringing Pakistan back into the contest before putting their noses in front by also dismissing David Bed Ingham and first-innings half-centurion Corbin Bosch. His wickets saw South Africa collapse from 96-4 to 99-8.
