Fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen turned batting heroes as South Africa edged out Pakistan by two wickets to win a thrilling first Test at Centurion and book themselves a place in next year’s World Test Championship final.

Rabada scored 31 and Jansen 16 in an unbeaten partnership of 51 off 50 balls to see South Africa over the line and deny Pakistan a dramatic comeback victory after Mohammed Abbas took six wickets as he shredded through the home batting order.

The Test had a finish more like that of a Twenty20 match as the tailenders delivered success after South Africa had slumped dramatically before lunch and seen Pakistan on the verge of success before Rabada, who is ranked the world’s No 2 Test bowler, emerged as an unlikely batting hero while Jansen delivered the winning runs with a classy drive to the boundary.

Abbas had brought Pakistan close as he took four wickets in a marathon spell of 13 successive overs before lunch as South Africa made heavy work of chasing a modest target of 148. Abbas, whose overall figures were six for 54 off 19.3 overs, engineered a dramatic collapse after South Africa looked headed for a comfortable victory with 50 runs needed and six wickets in hand.

His haul included the fortunate dismissal of Temba Bavuma for 40. The South Africa captain walked after thinking he had edged the ball behind to the wicketkeeper but will be ruing his decision not to review after the television replays showed the ball had not touched his bat but rather Bavuma’s pocket on the way through. Abbas also bowled Aiden Markram and had David Bedingham and Corbin Bosch caught behind – Bosch going first ball to see South Africa slump from 96 for four to 99 for eight.

“I’m extremely proud of our efforts but going forward as a team, we need to be more ruthless. We have to seize the moments that Test cricket provides,” said Pakistan’s captain Shan Masood.

South Africa, who host Pakistan in the second Test at Newlands next Friday, have now won six successive Tests, starting with success against West Indies in August and following it with two-Test series wins in Bangladesh and then home to Sri Lanka last month.

“Quite an emotional one and a good advert for Test cricket,” said Bavuma. “A lot of joy and happiness for us but a bit of a rollercoaster. We did it the hard way but we’re glad to be able to get the result.”

They moved top of the WTC standings after beating Sri Lanka in Gqeberha but needed one more Test win in the series against Pakistan to make sure of a place in the final from 11-15 June at Lord’s.