Kagiso Rabada (born 25 May 1995) is a South African international cricketer who plays all formats of the game. He is a right arm fast bowler. He made his international debut in November 2014 in limited-overs cricket before going on to make his Test debut in November 2015. By January 2018, he had topped both the ICC ODI bowler rankings and the ICC Test bowler rankings aged 22. In July 2018, he became the youngest bowler to take 150 wickets in Tests (23 years and 50 days).[2]

Kagiso Rabada
Rabada whilst playing for Kent in July 2016 at Tunbridge Wells
Personal information
Full name
Kagiso Rabada
Born (1995-05-25) 25 May 1995 (age 29)
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
NicknameKG
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)[1]
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingRight-arm fast
RoleBowler
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 323)5 November 2015 v India
Last Test29 October 2024 v Bangladesh
ODI debut (cap 114)10 July 2015 v Bangladesh
Last ODI16 November 2023 v Australia
ODI shirt no.25
T20I debut (cap 62)5 November 2014 v Australia
Last T20I29 June 2024 v India
T20I shirt no.25
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2013/14Gauteng
2013/14–2020/21Lions
2016Kent
2017–2021Delhi Capitals
2018–2019Jozi Stars
2022–presentPunjab Kings
2023–presentMI Cape Town
2023MI New York
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I FC
Matches 66 101 65 86
Runs scored 934 360 156 1,158
Batting average 11.39 15.00 17.33 11.46
100s/50s 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0
Top score 47 31* 22 48*
Balls bowled 12,057 5,171 1,393 16,005
Wickets 313 157 71 388
Bowling average 21.49 27.77 27.15 22.27
5 wickets in innings 16 2 0 19
10 wickets in match 4 0 0 5
Best bowling 7/112 6/16 3/18 9/33
Catches/stumpings 32/– 37/– 21/– 41/–
Medal record
Men's Cricket
Representing  South Africa
ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup
Winner 2014 UAE
ICC T20 World Cup
Runner-up 2024 West Indies & USA
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 9 November 2024

In July 2016, Rabada became the first cricketer to win six awards at Cricket South Africa's (CSA) annual dinner, including the prize for Cricketer of the Year.[3] In June 2018, he again won six awards at CSA's annual dinner, including Cricketer of the Year, Test Cricketer and ODI Cricketer of the Year.[4] In August 2018, Wisden named him the best young player in the world.[5] He has taken a hat-trick in all three formats of cricket.

Domestic career

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Rabada made his debut for the Gauteng in the CSA Provincial One-Day Competition against Border in December 2013.[6]

Rabada was chosen to represent South Africa's Under-19 side for the 2014 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup. For the victorious South Africans, he was their best bowler claiming the 2nd most wickets (14) in the tournament at an economy rate of 3.10.[7] He also claimed the best figures of the tournament: 6/25 against Australia A.[8] This led to him being dubbed "the fastest and most feared bowler in the competition".[9]

Rabada's performances in the Under-19 World Cup saw him catapulted into the Lions franchise for their last two games of the Sunfoil Series season. He took 7 wickets for 186 in these two matches.[10]

In February 2015, Rabada took a record 14 wickets in a match for Lions against Dolphins, including 9 for 33 in the second innings. His 14 for 105 are the best figures in the franchise era of South African cricket.[11]

In February 2016, it was announced that Rabada had signed a short-term deal to play county cricket for Kent County Cricket Club in June and July of the English domestic season, passing up the opportunity of an IPL contract to gain experience in English conditions.[12][13] He played in two County Championship and six T20 matches for the county during his spell in England.

In October 2018, he was named Jozi Stars' squad for the first edition of the Mzansi Super League T20 tournament.[14][15] In September 2019, he was named in the squad for the Jozi Stars team for the 2019 Mzansi Super League tournament.[16] In April 2021, he was named in Gauteng's squad, ahead of the 2021–22 cricket season in South Africa.[17]

In February 2017, Rabada was bought by the Delhi Daredevils team for the 2017 Indian Premier League for INR 50 million.[18] In January 2018, he was bought again by Delhi (Delhi Capitals) in the 2018 IPL auction but was later ruled out of the season due to a back injury.[19]

He was retained again ahead of 2019 Indian Premier League by Delhi Capitals. He played 12 matches in the league stage before leaving for national duty. He picked up 25 wickets and become the highest wicket taker for DC and overall second highest wicket taker of that season. DC qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2012 IPL season. In the 2020 Indian premier League, he become the highest wicket taker of the season by picking up 30 wickets in 17 matches he played. In both seasons, Rabada played a vital role in his team's success.

In the 2022 IPL mega auction, Rabada was bought by the Punjab Kings for 9.25 crore (US$1.1 million).[20] In April 2023he took his 100th IPL wicket[21] in his 64th IPL match, becoming the fastest bowler, in terms of matches, to reach the milestone in the competition.[22]

International career

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Rabada training in 2014

Rabada made his Twenty20 International debut for South Africa against Australia on 5 November 2014.[23]

Rabada made his One Day International debut for South Africa against Bangladesh on 10 July 2015,[24] achieving best figures of 6/16 on debut.[25] He also became only the second player, after Taijul Islam, to take a hat-trick on debut in an ODI match.[26][27] He made his Test debut for South Africa against India on 5 November 2015.[28] In the fourth Test of England's 2015–16 tour of South Africa, he finished with figures of 13/144 helping his team win the game. In the process, he became the youngest South African to take a ten-wicket haul in a Test, and the figures were his team's second best ever, after Makhaya Ntini's 13/132.[29]

Rabada's first ten-wicket haul in a Test match came in 2016 against England during the 4th Test at Centurion. He took 13 wickets in the match, including two five wicket hauls, and returned his best innings bowling figures of 7/112 in the England first innings.[30] His second ten-wicket haul came in 2017 against Sri Lanka at Cape Town. During the first Test at Lord's in South Africa's 2017 tour of England, Rabada was suspended for the second Test at Trent Bridge following an altercation with Ben Stokes after using "inappropriate language" after dismissing Stokes on the first day.[31]

As well as the five-fors he took in the matches when he took ten wickets, as of June 2017 he had taken a total of five five-wicket hauls in Test matches, the first of which was earlier in England's 2016 tour of South Africa. He repeated the feat in Australia in 2016 at the WACA. He was the man of the match in this fixture.

Rabada took 4/39 in the third ODI match of the South African tour in England in 2017.[32] Following his performance in the match, Rabada became top ranked ODI bowler in the world displacing countryman Imran Tahir as per the ICC ODI bowler rankings[33] and became youngest player (aged 22) to top the ODI rankings since Saqlain Mushtaq in 1998.[34]

During the first test of India's tour of South Africa in 2018 at Newlands, Rabada took 3/34 and 2/41 in the first and second innings.[35] Following his performance in the match, Rabada became top ranked Test bowler in the world as per the ICC Test bowler rankings[36] displacing England bowler James Anderson.[37]

In the second test match against Australia, Rabada took 11 wickets for 150 runs ultimately winning man of the match awards.[38] This performance earned him top spot in ICC Test bowler rankings with 902 points, standing 15 points above James Anderson. He became the fourth South African bowler to cross 900 points after Vernon Philander, Shaun Pollock and Dale Steyn.[39]

In July 2018 during the first test against Sri Lanka, Rabada surpassed the record of Harbhajan Singh to become the youngest ever bowler to take 150 wickets in Test cricket and also became the third fastest South African to reach 150 test wickets in terms of matches (31).[40][41]

In 2018, he took the most wickets in Tests by any bowler, with 52 dismissals.[42] In March 2019, Rabada took his 100th wicket in ODIs in the second ODI against Sri Lanka.[43] In April 2019, he was named in South Africa's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.[44][45] Rabada became only the 8th South African bowler to pick 200 Test wickets as Hasan Ali in the 1st Test of the South African tour of Pakistan in 2021.[46][47][48]

In September 2021, Rabada was named in South Africa's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.[49] On 6 November 2021, in South Africa's final match of the tournament, against England, Rabada became the first bowler for South Africa to take a hat-trick in T20I cricket.[50] In January 2022, Rabada played in his 50th Test match, in the third match of the series against India.[51] On Day 2 of the first test match of the series against England in August 2022, Rabada took his first five-for at Lord's which earned him a place on the coveted honours board.[52] He is only the fourth South African bowler to achieve this feat since re-admission after Allan Donald, Makhaya Ntini and Vernon Philander.[53]

In May 2024, he was named in South Africa’s squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament.[54]

Rabada took his 300th Test wicket on 21 October 2024, on the first day of South Africa's match against Bangladesh, becoming the 39th bowler to reach the milestone.[55][56][57]

Other ventures

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In 2020 Kagiso Rabada and Cameron Scott founded Kingdom Kome Productions,[58][59] their first project is a short film called "The Ring of Beasts".[58][60]

Personal life

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Rabada's father is a doctor[61] and his mother Florence is a lawyer.[62] He is of Venda and Tswana ancestry.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Wigmore, Tim (18 August 2022). "Kagiso Rabada cements place among fast bowling greats with five-wicket haul". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Kagiso Rabada becomes youngest to claim 150 Test wickets". Crictracker. 14 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Rabada dominates CSA awards". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  4. ^ "Rabada sweeps CSA awards with six trophies again". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  5. ^ "Rabada crowned Wisden's best young player in the world". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  6. ^ "CSA Provincial One-Day Competition: Border v Gauteng at East London, 8 December 2013". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  7. ^ "ICC Under-19 World Cup, 2013/14/Records/Most wickets". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  8. ^ "ICC Under-19 World Cup, 2nd Semi-final: Australia Under-19s v South Africa Under-19s". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  9. ^ "SA dominate team of the tournament". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  10. ^ "Sunfoil Series, 2013/14/Records/Most wickets". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  11. ^ "Kagiso Rabada's nine-for routs Dolphins". ESPNcricinfo. 22 February 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  12. ^ South Africa bowler Kagiso Rabada to join Kent in June, The Daily Telegraph, 18 February 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  13. ^ "Kagiso Rabada: Kent sign South Africa fast bowler". BBC Sport. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  14. ^ "Mzansi Super League - full squad lists". Sport24. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  15. ^ "Mzansi Super League Player Draft: The story so far". Independent Online. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  16. ^ "MSL 2.0 announces its T20 squads". Cricket South Africa. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  17. ^ "CSA reveals Division One squads for 2021/22". Cricket South Africa. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  18. ^ "List of players sold and unsold at IPL auction 2017". ESPNcricinfo. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  19. ^ "List of sold and unsold players". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  20. ^ Muthu, Deivarayan; Somani, Saurabh. "Live blog: The IPL 2022 auction". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  21. ^ "Rabada becomes fastest to pick 100 IPL wickets (64)". The Hindu. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  22. ^ Beniwal, Rishabh (13 April 2023). "IPL 2023: Kagiso Rabada scripts history, becomes fastest to 100 wickets in tournament". CricTracker. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  23. ^ "South Africa tour of Australia (November 2014), 1st T20I: Australia v South Africa at Adelaide, Nov 5, 2014". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  24. ^ "South Africa tour of Bangladesh, 1st ODI: Bangladesh v South Africa at Dhaka, Jul 10, 2015". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  25. ^ "Records – One-Day Internationals – Bowling records – Best figures in a innings on debut". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  26. ^ "Kagiso Rabada becomes only second player in ODI history to take a hat-trick on international debut in South Africa's match against Bangladesh". Metro. UK. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  27. ^ "Rabada's record six-for sets up South Africa win". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  28. ^ "South Africa tour of India, 1st Test: India v South Africa at Mohali, Nov 5–9, 2015". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  29. ^ Seervi, Bharath (26 January 2016). "Rabada's records, and England's lows". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  30. ^ Hopps, David (16 January 2016). "Rabada takes five as England make 323". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  31. ^ England v South Africa: Kagiso Rabada suspended for second Test BBC Sport, 7 July 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  32. ^ "Scorecard of third England vs South Africa ODI match 2017 at Lord's". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  33. ^ "Kagiso Rabada tops ODI bowling rankings". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  34. ^ "Kagiso Rabada officially the best in the world". iol.co.za. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  35. ^ "Scorecard of first South Africa vs India Test match 2018". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  36. ^ "Rabada climbs to top of Test rankings". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  37. ^ "Kagiso Rabada takes top spot from James Anderson". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  38. ^ "2nd Test, Australia tour of South Africa at Port Elizabeth, Mar 9-12 2018 - Match Summary - ESPNcricinfo". ESPNcricinfo. 9 March 2018.
  39. ^ "Rabada climbs to No. 1 in ICC Test bowler's rankings".
  40. ^ "Kagiso Rabada topples Harbhajan Singh to become youngest to 150 Test wickets". India Today. 14 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  41. ^ Desk, India.com Sports (14 July 2018). "Rabada Youngest Bowler To 150 Test Wickets". India.com. Retrieved 14 July 2018. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  42. ^ "Most Test Wickets in 2018". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  43. ^ "Du Plessis, Rabada landmarks sink Sri Lanka". SuperSport. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  44. ^ "Hashim Amla in World Cup squad; Reeza Hendricks, Chris Morris miss out". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  45. ^ "Amla edges out Hendricks to make South Africa's World Cup squad". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  46. ^ "Rabada 8th Proteas bowler to scalp 200 Test wickets". sify.com. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  47. ^ "Pakistan vs South Africa: Kagiso Rabada Becomes Eighth SA Bowler to Take 200 Test Wickets". Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  48. ^ "Kagiso Rabada 8th South African bowler to scalp 200 Test wickets". sify.com. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  49. ^ "T20 World Cup: South Africa leave out Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir and Chris Morris". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  50. ^ "Kagiso Rabada becomes first SA bowler to take hat-trick in T20Is; leads Proteas to win over England". Times Now News. 6 November 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  51. ^ "Virat Kohli returns as India resume hunt for history in South Africa". ESPNcricinfo. 10 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  52. ^ "Kagiso Rabada: numbers worthy of bowling greatness". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  53. ^ "Honours Boards. Lord's". lords.org. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  54. ^ "South Africa Sqaud for ICC Men's T20I World Cup". ScoreWaves. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  55. ^ "Kagiso Rabada reaches 300 Test wickets: Who is the quickest to the landmark?". Wisden. 21 October 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  56. ^ "Rabada takes 300th Test wicket - how does he compare?". BBC Sport. 21 October 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  57. ^ "Rabada on 300th Test wicket: 'Everyone plays for milestones, it was a relief'". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  58. ^ a b "Kagiso Rabada and Cameron Scott are moving into the film space with their latest project". Sandton Chronicle. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  59. ^ "About". Kingdom Kome. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  60. ^ "Home". Kingdom Kome. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  61. ^ "South Africa cricket sensation Kagiso Rabada could face Australia in proposed pink ball Test". Courier Mail. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  62. ^ "Kagiso And His Mom". Sports Eagle. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
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