Proteas coach Shukri Conrad after epic Test victory: 'You can't script that'

Chasing a target of 148, the hosts were reeling at 99-8 when Jansen and Rabada came together for an unbeaten 51-run stand that booked the Proteas' spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

Rabada decided that attack was the best form of defence and slammed an unbeaten 31 off 26 balls that brought comparisons to West Indies great Brian Lara while Jansen remained defiant and hit the winning runs to end on 16 not out.

Conrad said after the game: "The mind plays all these tricks on you. But the composure that (Jansen and Rabada) showed out there was unbelievable.

"Marco was unbelievable with the intensity he played with, and KG ... there were visions of Brian Charles (Lara) at times. But we can't put into words what that was. You can't script that.

"If that game had to be played over again, I don't think I'd be sitting here talking about a win."

The Proteas came into fourth day with a total on 27-3 but had the two most senior batters at crease in captain Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram, who had scored 89 in the first innings.

The duo took the total to 62 and looked at ease before Pakistan seamer Mohammad Abbas sparked a massive collapse as five wickets fell for 37 runs.

Conrad explained: "There were so many emotions. You arrive here this morning thinking, well, we need a big partnership here with our two senior batters at the crease.

"And then until drinks it goes really well. And you think, 'Right, we should be OK here'. You keep looking up at the scoreboard, and you know that one or two wickets can change that.

"And then Aiden gets out, and then we have this loss of however many wickets on 99. And then you think, 'This is pretty much gone. And then they start building a little partnership. And lunch comes. And you think, 'thirty-two runs' then you start going, 'well, that's only eight fours away."

The Proteas will look to clinch the two-match series with the second Test set to get underway at Newlands from Friday.

READ MORE: Proteas book place in World Test Championship Final after thrilling win over Pakistan