South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada reached 350 Test wickets in 13,808 balls during the final Test against Australia in Cape Town on October 31, 2026, setting a new world record as the fastest bowler to the milestone by delivery count and surpassing Dale Steyn.
Kagiso Rabada rewrote the record books on a Saturday morning in Cape Town.
He took his 350th Test wicket in fewer deliveries than any bowler in the long history of the format.
The milestone arrived on October 31, 2026, during the final match of the three-Test series at Newlands Cricket Ground.
Australia faced a target of 288 runs in their second innings. When Rabada drew an edge from Travis Head, he crossed a threshold that cemented his status among the sport’s premier fast-bowling talents.
350 Test Wickets For Rabada! 😤Another monumental milestone for one of South Africa’s finest! 🇿🇦Kagiso Rabada reaches the incredible 350-wicket mark in Test cricket, further cementing his place among the very best to wear the badge! 👑A relentless competitor, a world-class… pic.twitter.com/zf1ZDOHngQ
Rabada Breaks Dale Steyn Record
The delivery count stood at 13,808 when the 350th wicket fell.
That eclipsed the previous global benchmark held by fellow South African Dale Steyn, who required 14,719 balls to reach the same figure.
Rabada opened his international Test career with a debut against India in 2015. He maintained a relentless workload across all three formats and the Indian Premier League since that introduction.
Steyn still holds the national record for pace by matches, reaching 350 dismissals in 69 Tests compared to Rabada’s 75. Rabada’s appearance in Cape Town places him alongside West Indies great Malcolm Marshall at 75 matches. He trails Richard Hadlee and Steyn at 69, Dennis Lillee at 70, and Glenn McGrath at 74.
| Bowler | Deliveries to 350 Wickets |
|---|---|
| Kagiso Rabada | 13,808 |
| Dale Steyn | 14,719 |
| Waqar Younis | 14,905 |
| Malcolm Marshall | 16,285 |
| Mitchell Starc | 16,908 |
Australia Collapses Against Early Strikes
Entering the attack in the opening over of the Australian second innings, Rabada removed Matt Renshaw and Marnus Labuschagne in quick succession.
That double-strike made him only the fourth South African bowler to claim two wickets in the first over of a Test innings.
Rabada Is On Fire! 🙆♂️💥Travis Head departs early and that’s three wickets in the opening hour of play for the Rolls Royce. 😎🇿🇦AUS are 22/3 after 7 overs. 🏏#Unbreakable #SAvAUS
He joined an exclusive club that includes Allan Donald against India in Durban in 1996, Steyn against New Zealand in Centurion in 2016, and Morne Morkel against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom in 2017.
Wickets tumbled through the morning session. Australia slipped deep into trouble, with Captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon left to mount a rearguard action while South Africa pressed for the final two wickets needed to secure victory in the series finale.
Rabada Enters Elite South African Bowling Ranks
Rabada becomes the fourth South African to pass 350 Test wickets, slotting in behind Steyn with 439, Shaun Pollock with 421, and Makhaya Ntini with 390.
He has also passed 600 total wickets across formats, making him the fifth South African to cross that combined boundary.
Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan accumulated 800 wickets in 133 Tests.