South Africa’s pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada believes it’s time for the Proteas to shift their focus from the emotional high of their World Test Championship (WTC) final triumph over Australia, as the two sides prepare for a six-match white-ball series starting this Sunday in Darwin. Speaking to the media on Thursday, Rabada acknowledged the importance of the WTC victory but emphasized the need to look ahead to the upcoming T20Is and ODIs. “I think it was special, and I’ve done so many interviews on that since,” Rabada said. “I think it’s time to move on. I don’t think we’ll ever forget that as a team, and South Africa won’t either. But time to move on now.”
The WTC final in June was a historic milestone for South African cricket, ending a 26-year wait for an ICC trophy. At Lord’s, Rabada delivered a match-winning performance, finishing with figures of 9 for 110, while Aiden Markram played a pivotal role in the fourth innings with a composed 136 to guide South Africa to victory.
Reflecting on the emotional weight of that moment, Rabada said, “It was kind of like a relief. But the show moves on, and moving toward the T20 World Cup, I guess the approach will be a bit different. Now, you know, there’s no fear of anything.”
The white-ball series in Australia, which features three T20 internationals and three ODIs, marks Rabada’s return to competitive cricket since the WTC final. The 30-year-old used the time off to rest and recover from a demanding schedule. “Thankfully, I’ve had quite a long break, so that’s been awesome,” he noted. “Maintenance work consistently has to be done because the volume of cricket is quite a bit.”
Looking ahead to the clash with Australia, Rabada is anticipating another intense battle. The South Africa-Australia rivalry has been one of the fiercest in modern cricket, and Rabada welcomes the competitive edge. “It’s always some hard cricket being played, some good cricket,” he said. “Whenever we play Australia, I always feel like they get the best out of us, because they’re sort of in our faces. And I guess we like that.”
With the T20 World Cup set for 2026 and a wave of young talent coming through the ranks, Rabada expressed optimism about the team’s direction. “It’s just about trying to see where we’re at as a team, moving into almost like another generation,” he added.
