Kagiso Rabada Profile, Career & Stats

Known for his thunderbolts with an average speed of 145 kph, Kagiso Rabada grabbed eyeballs for his pinpoint yorker against the deadly MS Dhoni in an ODI game at the Green Park in Kanpur back in 2015. 

Over the years, Rabada has become the leader of the Proteas bowling attack. Picking up the Lions on the back of strong performances in the ICC U-19 World Cup 2014, the speedster took a record 14 wickets in a match against the Dolphins, which is the best figure in domestic cricket in South Africa.

Kagiso Rabada IPL Career

Kagiso Rabada caught the eyes of multiple franchises before the start of the 2017 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Eventually, the Delhi Capitals bought the youngster for a whopping INR 5 Crore. After being injury-ridden in the 2018 IPL, Rabada returned and set the IPL alight in 2019. 

The whole world got a glimpse of Kagiso Rabada in IPL 2020 when he won the purple cap ahead of Jasprit Bumrah by rattling 30 wickets in just 17 games, which led the Delhi Capitals to their first finals in 13 seasons.

In the 2022 IPL mega auction, Kagiso Rabada was acquired by Punjab Kings for INR 9.25 crore. In April 2023, he reached a significant milestone by claiming his 100th IPL wicket in just his 64th match, making him the fastest bowler in IPL history to achieve this feat. 

In the 2025 IPL auction, Kagiso Rabada was picked by the Gujarat Titans, adding firepower to their pace attack. The Proteas seamer has been a part of the franchise since then. 

Kagiso Rabada Test Career

On the Test front, Kagiso Rabada became the top-ranked Test bowler in the world after picking up five wickets against India on January 5, 2018, during the first Test of India’s tour of South Africa, displacing the legendary James Anderson. 

Later that summer, playing against Sri Lanka, Rabada surpassed Harbhajan Singh to become the youngest bowler to take 150 Test wickets.

By the end of 2018, he had the most dismissals by any bowler (52) in that year. He reached the milestone of 200 wickets in Test cricket while playing against Pakistan in the first Test on January 28, 2021, becoming only the eighth South African bowler to reach the mark. In January 2022, he played his 50th Test match during South Africa's third Test against India.

Later, on August 17, 2022, during the first Test against England at Lord’s, he registered his first five-wicket haul at the iconic venue, earning a place on the prestigious Lord’s Honours Board. In October 2024, he etched his name in cricketing history by taking his 300th Test wicket on October 21, 2024, on the opening day of South Africa’s match against Bangladesh.

Kagiso Rabada ODI Career

Kagiso Rabada made his ODI debut against Bangladesh on July 10, 2015, and instantly shot to fame after picking a hat-trick on his debut. The youngster took 6 wickets for just 18 runs and declared his arrival on the international stage. 

After stunning Bangladesh, KG had a terrific run against the Indians in India, where he had some stunning battles against MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

Slowly and steadily, Rabada became South Africa’s front-line seamer after Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel’s retirements. He led their attack during the 2019 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup. 

In the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, Kagiso Rabada once again led South Africa’s pace attack with his trademark aggression and precision. He played a crucial role in guiding the Proteas to the semi-finals, delivering key performances with both the new and old ball. However, despite his efforts, South Africa fell short in the semi-final clash in February 2025.

Kagiso Rabada T20I Career

In September 2021, he was included in South Africa's squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. During the Proteas’ final match of the tournament on November 6, 2021, Rabada made history by securing South Africa’s first-ever T20I hat-trick against England.

The right-arm quick has been a part of the South African squads for the 2022, 2024 and 2026 editions of the T20 World Cup. 

(As of March 2026)