Kagiso Rabada becomes 3rd fastest South African to 200 Test wickets [Watch]

Kagiso Rabada became the eighth South African bowler to claim 200 or more wickets in Test cricket on Thursday. Rabada bagged the milestone scalp on Day three of the ongoing first Test between South Africa and Pakistan in Karachi.

Pakistan's tail-ender Hasan Ali became Rabada's 200th Test wicket, who attempted to slog to the leg side but ended up getting his middle stump crashed on the fifth delivery of the 108th over of Pakistan's innings at the National Stadium, Karachi.

The other seven Proteas bowlers to have picked 200 or more Test wickets are Dale Steyn, who is the Rainbow Nation's leading wicket taker in Tests with 439 wickets, Shaun Pollock (421 wickets), Ntini (399 wickets), Allan Donald (330 wickets), Morne Morkel (309 wickets), Jacques Kallis (292 wickets), and Vernon Philander (224 wickets).

In terms of balls, Rabada, who clinched the landmark in 8,154 deliveries, was the third fastest bowler t0 200 Test wickets after Waqar Younis (7,730 balls), and compatriot Steyn (7,848 balls).

At 25 years and 248 days, Rabada was also the fourth youngest bowler to reach the 200-wicket mark in the longest format after Pakistan great Younis, former Indian skipper Kapil Dev, and Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh.

Rabada took just 44 matches to achieve 200 Test wickets, which made him the third fastest Proteas bowler to reach the milestone after Steyn (38 Tests), and Donald (42 Tests). The young pacer, however, beat Pollock (49 Tests), Philander (54 Tests), Ntini (55 Tests), and Morkel (58 Tests).

The Johannesburg-born Rabada also has 117 and 31 wickets in One-Day Internationals (ODI) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) respectively as he has played 75 ODIs and 26 T20Is so far for South Africa since his international debut in 2014.

Overall, Sri Lanka legend Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record for being the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket with 800 scalps to his name ahead of Australia great Shane Warne (708), India's spin legend Anil Kumble (619), England fast bowler James Anderson (606) and ex-Australia quick Glenn McGrath (563).

In reply to South Africa's 220, Pakistan were bowled out for 378 as the Babar Azam-led side managed to earn a lead of 158 runs in the ongoing first Test of the two-match series. South Africa's second innings is currently underway in Karachi.