NEW DELHI: Young Indian batter Sarfaraz Khan made a special visit to Lord’s on Thursday alongside his father and long-time coach, Naushad Khan, as the second day of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final between Australia and South Africa unfolded in dramatic fashion.Sarfaraz, who shared glimpses of the visit via his Instagram stories, was seen soaking in the atmosphere at the iconic venue, one where he no doubt dreams of making his mark someday. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
It was a father-son cricket pilgrimage of sorts, with Naushad having famously mentored Sarfaraz and his younger brother Musheer from Mumbai’s maidans to international reckoning.
On the field, Australia seized control of the WTC Final, largely thanks to a masterclass in fast bowling from skipper Pat Cummins.Cummins delivered a sensational spell of 6-28, claiming his 300th Test wicket and dismantling South Africa for just 138. He took four wickets for just one run in a post-lunch burst that shredded the Proteas’ lower order. South Africa had resumed at 43/4 and managed a brief recovery through a 64-run stand between Temba Bavuma (36) and David Bedingham (45), but collapsed shortly after.Kagiso Rabada had earlier starred with the ball for South Africa, taking 5-51, and he returned in the second innings to remove both Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green in the same over.
At tea, Australia were 32-2, holding a 106-run lead with Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith at the crease.As Sarfaraz watched from the stands, he witnessed not just a gripping day of Test cricket but also a landmark moment in Cummins’s career, capped by a standing ovation from the Lord’s crowd, a far cry from the jeers he received during the 2023 Ashes for the Bairstow incident.
