Kagiso Rabada joins elite WTC list with match-winning six-wicket haul vs West Indies

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South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada on Thursday picked a match-winning six-wicket haul to bowl West Indies out for 159 and help South Africa to an 87-run win in the first Test in Centurion.

In the process, the seventh-ranked ICC Test bowler in the world joined an elite World Test Championship (WTC) list. The 27-year-old is now only the fifth bowler to complete 100 wickets in the history of the tournament. Overall, he is only the third pacer to achieve the milestone.

Australia off-spinner is leading the list with 136 Test scalps, with his opposite number from Ravichandran Ashwin following him with 124 scalps. Australia captain Pat Cummins, England pacer Stuart Broad complete the list.

Most wickets in WTC

Nathan Lyon: 136 at 28.27 in 32 matches

R Ashwin: 125 at 19.61 in 26 matches

Pat Cummins: 123 at 21.11 in 29 matches

Stuart Broad: 112 at 23.25 in 28 matches

Kagiso Rabada: 100 at 23.86 in 22 matches

Hosts South Africa defeated West Indies by 87 runs in the first of the 2-Test series against West Indies. Opting to bat first, South Africa scored 342 runs on the back of a hundred from opener Aiden Markram. Alzarri Joseph was the pick of the bowlers for West Indies in the first innings. He picked five wickets for 81 runs.

In reply, West Indies were bundled out for 212 after a five-wicket haul from Anrich Nortje. The visitors gave it their all in the second innings and wrapped up South Africa for a paltry 116-run total. Kemar Roach picked a five-wicket haul this time around.

Rabada run through West Indies batting line-up

Chasing 247, West Indies were off to a horrid start as Rabada (6/50) struck twice early to get rid of captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Raymon Reifer. Later, he returned to dismiss Joshua Da Silva and Jason Holder. Later, he also got rid of West Indies' top-scorer in the second innings Jermaine Blackwood (79) and then sealed the win for his team by trapping number 10 Roach in front of the stumps.

The two sides meet for the second and last Test from March 8.