Maharaj reclaims No 1 position in ICC Men’s ODI Bowling Rankings
cricket|21 August 2025 at 11:25
South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj has regained the top position in the ICC Men’s ODI Bowling Rankings after helping his team beat Australia by 98 runs in the first ODI of their three-match series in Cairns.
The 35-year-old left-arm spinner, who was named Player of the Match after grabbing five for 33, overtook Kuldeep Yadav and Maheesh Theekshana to the top spot, which he had earlier held briefly in November and December 2023.
𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐊𝐞𝐬𝐡 🇿🇦💥
He bowls a magical spell to collect his maiden ODI five-for 😤👑
West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales was another one to make huge inroads in the ODI Bowling Rankings after his superb haul of six for 18 in the final ODI of their three-match series against Pakistan, moving up 15 spots to 18th position.
Pakistan legspinner Abrar Ahmed (up 15 places to joint-39th) and West Indies offspinner Roston Chase (up five places to 58th) are others to move up the list.
In the Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, West Indies captain Shai Hope is up two places to ninth position after scoring 120 not out in the final ODI against Pakistan while Aiden Markram (up four places to 21st), Temba Bavuma (up five places to 23rd) and Mitchell Marsh (up six places to 48th) are the others to progress.
BREVIS MOVING UP
In the Men’s T20I Rankings, South Africa’s Dewald Brevis continues his upward movement, gaining nine spots to reach 12th position while Australians Marsh and Glenn Maxwell have progressed four and 10 spots, respectively, to reach 25th and 30th positions.
The T20I Bowling Rankings see Australia seamers Nathan Ellis (up three places to ninth position) and Josh Hazlewood (up two places to 18th) make significant gains, with South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada moving up from 44th to 37th position.
Star performers from the #AUSvSA series gain big in the latest ICC Men's Rankings 📈
Australia scored three centuries in a one-day international for the first time in a total of 431-2 before dismissing South Africa for a meagre 155 to win the third and final match against South Africa by a comprehensive, record 276-runs at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay on Sunday.
A stunning century from Travis Head (142) and a less dramatic one from captain Mitch Marsh (100) laid the platform for a massive Australian score of 431-2 after choosing to bat first in the final one-day international against South Africa at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay on Sunday.
Travis Head smacked this one to the roof while batting in the cap.
Not content with two centuries, Cameron Green added a third for the hosts and it was the most dramatic of the trio coming from a mere 47 balls with five fours and seven sixes. Twice in the final overs Green refused a single in the company of Alex Carey in order to hit more sixes – and did exactly that.
Green finished unbeaten on 118 from only 55 balls with six fours and eight sixes while Carey scrambled two off the final ball to finish on 50 not out from 37 balls with seven fours.
Only Dewald Brevis offered any serious fight during the run-chase with five sixes and two fours in his 49 from just 28 balls after the tourists had crashed to 50-4. Sean Abbott and Xavier Bartlett shared the first four wickets with Aiden Markram (20 caught at slip, Ryan Rickelton (11) clipping to square leg, Temba Bavuma (19) bowled and Tristan Stubbs (1) caught at cover.
Left arm spinner Cooper Connolly (5-22) mopped up the second half of the innings with a maiden five-wicket haul courtesy of three boundary catches including a stunning, diving effort from Marnus Labuschagne, and a stumping against Keshav Maharaj.
Cooper Connolly has his first 5fa in professional cricket! It's the first time he has taken more than three wickets in a game. #AUSvSApic.twitter.com/MeRNU2Lq7L
It was a torrid afternoon for South Africa’s bowlers with Kwena Maphaka and Wiaan Mulder sharing the new balls in the absence of the rested Lungi Ngidi and Nandre Burger. The tone was set in the first six overs which cost an eye-watering 63 runs.
Head was in rampant form after modest returns from the first five matches against the tourists in the T20I series and the first two ODIs cutting and driving with ferocity against all of South Africa’s seamers collecting 17 fours and five sixes in his 142 from just 103 balls before finally holing out to Brevis at long off against Maharaj.
Marsh, happy to feed the strike to Head throughout their partnership, reached his own century from 105 balls with six fours and five sixes before top-edging a slog-sweep against left arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy to ‘keeper Ryan Rickelton.
Maharaj was the only bowler to escape the savage beating with 1-57 from his 10 overs while Corbin Bosch was, ironically, excellent in the final dozen overs conceding ‘only’ 46 runs from six overs to finish with figures of 10-0-68-0.
It was an innings to forget, however, for Mulder (7-0-93-0) and Maphaka (6-0-73-0) while Markram (8-0-60-0) and Muthusamy (9-0-75-1) did their best to stem the flow of runs.
It was Australia’s second highest score in ODI cricket behind the 434 they scored against South Africa at the Wanderers in Johannesburg in 2005. That was a game they lost – this time there was never remotely a chance of that happening.
South Africa won the first game of the series in Cairns by 98-runs and the second, in Mackay on Friday, by 84-runs to clinch the series.
The Proteas head straight to London from Mackay via Brisbane, Sydney and Perth where they will play England in another three-match ODI series starting next Tuesday followed by another T20 International series.
AUSTRALIA: Mitch Marsh (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis (wkt), Cooper Connolly, Xavier Bartlett, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa.
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton (wkt), Temba Bavuma, Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy, Kwena Maphaka.
Ngidi, Breetzke lead SA to 84-run win and series v Australia
Lungi Ngidi claimed 5-42 after half centuries from Matthew Breetzke and Tristan Stubbs guided South Africa to a competitive total of 277 and an emphatic victory by 84 runs against Australia in the second one-day international at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay on Friday.
Ngidi’s slower ball worked to perfection as he ripped through the lower order to dismiss the hosts for just 193 after excellent work from left-arm fast bowler Nandre Burger (6-0-23-2) and left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy (8-0-30-2).
Josh Inglis top-scored for Australia with a hard-hitting 87 from just 74 balls, but he had no answer to Ngidi’s slower ball. Burger earlier had dangerous opener Travis Head (6) caught at mid-on while Ngidi persuaded Marnus Labuschagne to drive – and edge – his fifth ball to ‘keeper Ryan Rickelton.
Wiaan Mulder had Mitch Marsh (18) caught at mid-on by substitute Corbin Bosch – the first of his three catches fielding in place of Breetzke, who was resting a tight hamstring – as the Australian top three were dismissed with just 38 runs on the scoreboard.
Earlier, Breetzke (88) and Tony de Zorzi (38) had steadied the South African innings after the early loss of openers Aiden Markram (0) and Ryan Rickelton (8) during a third-wicket stand of 67, which was dominated by left-hander De Zorzi whose run-a-ball innings contained five boundaries before chipping a leading edge back to legspinner Adam Zampa.
Breetzke flicked and pulled seamer Aaran Hardie for a brace of sixes and added eight fours, half of which were flat-batted over mid-on and mid-off with Australia’s seam attack bowling an array of slower ball bouncers. An attempted pull shot against Nathan Ellis (2-46) was top-edged into the hands of Alex Carey at deep square leg.
It was Breetzke’s fourth consecutive score of 50+ since his debut 150 against New Zealand in Pakistan in March, which was followed by 83 against Pakistan and then 57 against Australia in the current series in the first match in Cairns on Tuesday.
Stubbs (74 from 87 balls) added 89 with Breetzke but was inhibited in the final overs by the loss of wickets at the other end with the last of the recognised batsmen, Wiaan Mulder, driving the first ball of the 41st over from part-time legspinner Marnus Labuschagne to long on for 26 (4x4) from 21 balls.
Labuschagne (5-0-19-2) ‘struck’ again with a knee-high full toss, which Senuran Muthusamy (4) pulled straight to midwicket and, with South Africa desperately needing Stubbs to bat through the final overs, he miscued a drive against Zampa to Cameron Green on the long off boundary.
Dewald Brevis (1) failed to settle before hooking yet another short ball from Ellis to Cameron Green at deep square leg, and the innings fizzled out, despite some lusty blows from Keshav Maharaj, with just 44 runs scored in the final 10 overs for the loss of the final five wickets. Maharaj blasted two fours and a six in his 22* from 24 balls.
South Africa won the first match by 98 runs with Markram top-scoring with 82 and Maharaj claiming a career-best 5-33 to bowl the hosts out for 198 in reply to the Proteas’ 296 for eight. The result in Mackay has secured their fifth consecutive bilateral series win against Australia, with the third and final match to be played at the same venue on Sunday.
AUSTRALIA: Mitch Marsh (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis (wkt), Aaran Hardie, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram (captain), Ryan Rickelton (wkt), Tony de Zorzi, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi.
Maharaj reclaims No 1 position in ICC Men’s ODI Bowling Rankings
South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj has regained the top position in the ICC Men’s ODI Bowling Rankings after helping his team beat Australia by 98 runs in the first ODI of their three-match series in Cairns.
The 35-year-old left-arm spinner, who was named Player of the Match after grabbing five for 33, overtook Kuldeep Yadav and Maheesh Theekshana to the top spot, which he had earlier held briefly in November and December 2023.
𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐊𝐞𝐬𝐡 🇿🇦💥
He bowls a magical spell to collect his maiden ODI five-for 😤👑
West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales was another one to make huge inroads in the ODI Bowling Rankings after his superb haul of six for 18 in the final ODI of their three-match series against Pakistan, moving up 15 spots to 18th position.
Pakistan legspinner Abrar Ahmed (up 15 places to joint-39th) and West Indies offspinner Roston Chase (up five places to 58th) are others to move up the list.
In the Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, West Indies captain Shai Hope is up two places to ninth position after scoring 120 not out in the final ODI against Pakistan while Aiden Markram (up four places to 21st), Temba Bavuma (up five places to 23rd) and Mitchell Marsh (up six places to 48th) are the others to progress.
BREVIS MOVING UP
In the Men’s T20I Rankings, South Africa’s Dewald Brevis continues his upward movement, gaining nine spots to reach 12th position while Australians Marsh and Glenn Maxwell have progressed four and 10 spots, respectively, to reach 25th and 30th positions.
The T20I Bowling Rankings see Australia seamers Nathan Ellis (up three places to ninth position) and Josh Hazlewood (up two places to 18th) make significant gains, with South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada moving up from 44th to 37th position.
Star performers from the #AUSvSA series gain big in the latest ICC Men's Rankings 📈
Australia player Adam Zampa has been reprimanded for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the first ODI against South Africa in Cairns on Tuesday.
Zampa was found to have breached Article 2.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “use of an audible obscenity during an International Match.”
In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Zampa’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period.
The incident occurred in the 37th over of South Africa’s innings, when Zampa used inappropriate language after a misfield and overthrow off his bowling, which was picked up on the stump microphone and broadcast.
Zampa admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing.
On-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Sam Nogajski, third umpire Richard Illingworth and fourth umpire Donovan Koch levelled the charge.
Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.
Proteas bowler reported for suspect bowling action
South Africa face a setback in Australia with the offspinner's action being reported.
South Africa offspinner Prenelan Subrayen has been reported for a suspect bowling action in the first ODI against Australia played on Tuesday in Cairns.
The match officials' report specified concerns about the legality of Subrayen's action.
The first Cairns ODI against Australia was Subrayen's debut in the 50-over format, where he bowled ten overs and nabbed the wicket of Travis Head, who was stumped out after attempting to charge down the crease.
The 31-year old offspinner had also made his test debut this year against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, where he was successful in picking four wickets in the first innings.
The bowler will undergo an Independent Assessment of his bowling action at an ICC Accredited testing facility.
South Africa are already without their ace pacer Kagiso Rabada who was ruled out of the three-match series due to injury.
After losing a closely fought T20I series 1-2, the Proteas have taken the lead against the hosts in the ODI series with a confident win, with two matches to be played at Mackay on 22 and 24 August respectively.
Scholar Maharaj reveals 'secret' behind his match-winning performance
“It’s very satisfying when a plan comes together,” said Keshav Maharaj after claiming five wickets in his first 25 balls to rip through Australia’s top and middle order on the way to guiding South Africa to an emphatic 98-run victory in the first of three one-day internationals at the Cazarly’s Stadium in Cairns on Tuesday night.
His astonishing spell saw the hosts collapse from 61-1 to 89-6 and effectively ended the game as a contest, although Australian skipper Mitch Marsh battled doggedly for his 88 to limit the damage and add some respectability to the margin of defeat.
What made Maharaj’s first ODI five-fer even more remarkable was that no assistance was required from any of the fielders, not even the wicketkeeper. Three clean bowled and two lbws. It was all the evidence needed to confirm that Maharaj was beating all the batsmen in the air as well as off the pitch.
They simply could not ‘read’ his length, all playing either on the back foot or trapped in the crease rather getting onto the front foot.
“That’s true,” said Marsh after the game. “Hats off to him, you have to give credit where it’s due. He bowled superbly and we didn’t have the answers tonight.”
'PUT THE BALL IN THE RIGHT PLACE'
So what was ‘the plan’ – and how did Maharaj make it work so spectacularly? “First thing to say is that sometimes you can put the ball in the right place but you don’t get the rewards!
“When you bowl with over-spin the ball ‘drops’, as spinners say, especially with a newer ball, but once I saw that there was a bit of spin I tried to use my pace and a bit of angle at the crease and, fortunately, I put the ball in the right place and did get the rewards.
"It happens a lot more with the new ball and, as we saw, it happened less as my spell went on and the ball became older,” Maharaj explained.
Keshav Maharaj reflects on a spell to remember. 🎙
A composed and clinical performance under pressure saw him claim his maiden ODI five-wicket haul against Australia in the series opener. 🔥🇿🇦 #WozaNawepic.twitter.com/6Mpw8gYTtx
The theory is nothing new – but there have been fewer better illustrations of its success than Maharaj on Tuesday whose figures, including the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne with his first ball, at one point read 4.1-1-13-5 before finishing with 10-1-33-5.
ALWAYS LEARNING
“A lot of people ask me ‘what’s next?’ but, although I’m 35 now, I believe in my journey and I’m always learning – the day I stop learning is the day I have to walk away from the game. I like to think I’m a scholar of the game, I watch a lot of cricket and I’m always bouncing ideas around, even with the younger generation, because it’s good to see how different ways of thinking can work,” Maharaj said.
“I’d like to think I’m getting better with age, but it’s years and years of hard work, from the age of 15 and then into first-class cricket, and it’s coming to fruition now.
Apart from completing the full ‘set’ of five-wicket hauls – in all three formats at both domestic and international level – he also became the first South Africa spinner to claim over 300 international wickets across the three formats:
“I didn’t know that so, thanks for that! There is a lot more I want to learn and to try and win more trophies with the team – hopefully I can keep raising the bar for the next spinners coming through the system,” Maharaj said.
The ‘learning’, by the way, has resulted in the development of a new, ‘mystery ball’ – not that he needed it on Tuesday night: “I didn’t think the pitch demanded me to bowl it yet, it’s still a work in progress, but if the next venue allows me to then, maybe I will reveal it,” he said with a smile.
Favourite wicket of the five? “It’s always nice to hit the stumps but the ball to Marnus was an absolute snorter, and it was also the first ball of the spell, and we all know how dangerous he can be so, I’ll have to say that was my favourite.”
An astonishing spell of spin-bowling from Keshav Maharaj led South Africa to a comprehensive, 98-run victory in the first of three one-day internationals against Australia at the Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns on Tuesday.
The left-armer ripped through Australia’s top and middle order, claiming five wickets in 25 balls to reduce the home side from 60-1 to 89-6 in response to South Africa’s total of 296-8 after being asked to bat first on a near-perfect batting surface.
Maharaj finished with a career-best 5-33 as the home side staggered to 198 all out with only captain Mitch Marsh offering significant fight with a bullish but beleaguered 88 adding 71 for the sixth wicket with Ben Dwarshuis (33) before top-edging a pull against Nandre Burger (2-54) to ‘keeper Ryan Rickelton.
𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐊𝐞𝐬𝐡 🇿🇦💥
He bowls a magical spell to collect his maiden ODI five-for 😤👑
The collapse began with Maharaj’s very first delivery, a ripper which pitched on leg stump and would have hit the top of off to trap a bewildered Marnus Labuschagne (1) lbw.
Cameron Green (3) and Josh Inglis (5) were both clean bowled playing back to deliveries they should have been forward to and Alex Carey was trapped lbw missing a sweep shot at his first delivery before Maharaj completed his dream spell by bowling Aaron Hardie (4).
Australia had crashed from an opening stand of 60 between Marsh and Travis Head to 89-6, Head beginning the collapse by charging at offspinner Prenelan Subrayen and gifting Ryan Rickelton a simple stumping.
CLASSIC MARKRAM SHINES WITH THE BAT
Aiden Markram’s 82 and opening stand of 92 with Rickelton (33) helped lay the platform for an impressive total which could have been even higher before Australia’s bowlers fought back superbly in the final 10 overs during which the tourists could score only 73 runs for the loss of five wickets.
Markram was at his most classic with a series of drives through the off side, some aerial but most on the ground, bringing him nine boundaries before a rare error provided ‘keeper Inglis with a straightforward catch off left-arm seamer Dwarshuis (2-53) with Markram attempting to chop a wide ball to third man.
Rickelton was less fluent, struggling to find the middle of the bat and successfully reviewing two lbw decisions against spinners Adam Zampa and Travis Head with his score on 28.
But his luck ran out when a mistimed drive against offspinner Head was well caught by a tumbling Labuschagne at mid on.
Captain Temba Bavuma (65 from 74 balls) and Matthew Breetzke (57 from 56 balls) added 92 for third wicket before Breetzke, having launched Dwarshuis for a huge six over midwicket, sliced a drive against legspinner Zampa to the extra cover boundary.
Bavuma was understandably rusty having played no cricket since the WTC final in early June, but still managed to score a welcome half-century.
Temba Bavuma goes fifty up in his return back to the Proteas team 👏
Sensing that the innings needed a boost, Tristan Stubbs (0) hoisted his second delivery against Head (4-57) to long on before his replacement, Dewald Brevis, drove his first ball in ODI cricket for a straight six – before driving his second straight to long on.
Wiaan Mulder finished the innings in style, slog-sweeping the final ball from Dwarshuis for six to finish unbeaten on 31 from 26 balls.
The second and third matches in the series will be played at the Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay on Friday and Sunday.
AUSTRALIA: Mitch Marsh (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis (wkt), Aaran Hardie, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton (wkt), Temba Bavuma (captain), Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Prenelan Subrayen, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi.
South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada was ruled out of the one-day international series against Australia with an ankle injury barely an hour before the start of the opening match in Cairns on Tuesday.
Toss Update 🪙
🇦🇺 Australia have won the toss and elected to Bowl first in the series opener.
Big news for the Proteas as Dewald Brevis and Prenelan Subrayen make their ODI debuts! 💥👏
Rabada underwent a scan on Monday following an inflammation of his right ankle, Cricket South Africa said in a statement, after which the 30-year-old was ruled out of the three-match series.
"He will remain in Australia and undergo rehabilitation under the supervision of the Proteas medical staff," the statement read.
Left-arm quick Kwena Maphaka, who finished as the leading wicket-taker in the preceding T20 series between the sides, has been added to the squad but was not picked for the series opener.
AUSTRALIA: Mitch Marsh (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis (wkt), Aaran Hardie, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton (wkt), Temba Bavuma (captain), Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Prenelan Subrayen, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi.
ODI series offers Proteas immediate redemption v Australia
South Africa’s three-match ODI series against Australia starts at the Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns on Tuesday before concluding at the Barrier Reef Oval in Mackay on Friday and Sunday. It offers the Proteas a quick shot at redemption after narrowly losing the deciding match in the T20 International series at the same venue on Saturday.
Glenn Maxwell, whose calmness in the final overs of the run chase helped Australia to a two-wicket victory off the penultimate delivery to take the series 2-1, will not be around to inflict further damage having retired from the 50-over format while South Africa have five fresh faces and have retained Kwena Maphaka in a 16-man squad for the series.
Bavuma hasn’t played a competitive match since the final of the World Test Championship but has not been idle at home having embarked on a lengthy tour of the country with the WTC mace as well as working on his fitness after tearing his hamstring during the final at Lord’s.
“It’s been a busy time at home becoming accustomed to all the appreciation there is among fans for our success at Lord’s, but the time away from the game has also allowed me to get the body strong again, but I’m fully fit now, looking forward to the games ahead and raring to go again,” Bavuma said on Monday.
“Dewald Brevis was obviously the talking point (during the T20 series) so I’m looking forward to seeing what he does in the one-day stuff and also getting to know young guys like Lhuan-dre Pretorius. \
"Kwena was excellent in the T20s so he’s been added to the ODI squad and Prenelan Subrayen is there too. Like the T20 series, it’s a bit of an exploration to see where guys can fit in and what our best XI looks like,” Bavuma said.
One decision has been made – the captain will not be opening the batting with the T20 combination of Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton remaining at the top of the order with Bavuma set to come in at No 3: “We’ll keep them together in all formats and see how that goes. It’s not much of a change for me but I’ll make whatever adjustments I need to,” Bavuma said.
The scheduled Champions Trophy match between the teams was washed out in Pakistan earlier this year which means the last time the teams met in a 50-over contest was the World Cup semifinal in Kolkata almost two years ago: “That feels very, very far away now,” Bavuma smiled.
“There isn’t much you need to say about a fixture between these two teams, it is always very competitive. But it’s also good to be outside in the sunshine playing at a beautiful ground – which is also a bit bigger than I’m accustomed to so there’s going to be a lot of running in the outfield. But the weather is a lot better than in Johannesburg at the moment.”
With the T20I series wrapped up, the focus now shifts to the ODI showdown. 💥🇿🇦
Our Proteas are ready to go head-to-head with Australia in pursuit of a series victory. 🏏🔥
One of the ‘new’ faces in the ODI squad is veteran spinner Keshav Maharaj who was available for selection for the shortest format and remains hopeful of forcing his way back into contention for the T20 World Cup next year:
“Shuks wants to try some different things. He hasn’t closed the door on me so hopefully I can filter back into his plans,” Maharaj said before confirming that the 2027 50-over World Cup is also very much on his radar.
“It’s a big target for me, I love playing ODI cricket and what better way to represent your country than by playing in a home World Cup.
"Hopefully we can carry some of the momentum we’ve built up over the last two years into that tournament, winning the World Test Championship and also reaching the knockout stages of two World Cups,” Maharaj said.
“This tour is an opportunity to try combinations so that, by next year, the coach will have a clearer understanding of the 2027 squad landscape. This a wonderful opportunity for the players and for Shuks to identify the style of play and who he wants for the World Cup squads.”
SA ODI SQUAD: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Temba Bavuma (captain), Dewald Brevis, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Tristan Stubbs, Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Wiaan Mulder, Prenelan Subrayen, Keshav Maharaj, Corbin Bosch, Nandre Burger, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Kwena Maphaka.
Coach Conrad 'satisfied with progress' despite T20I series loss to Australia
South Africa may have lost their T20 International series against Australia after going down by just two wickets off the penultimate ball of the deciding match in Cairns on Saturday night but head coach, Shukri Conrad, was not disheartened by the 2-1 series scoreline pronouncing himself “satisfied” that “everything is pretty much on track” for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next year.
“It was a disappointing result but overall, I’m happy with the growth and progress that has been made and how we’re shaping up. We’ve got 14 T20 Internationals left before the World Cup so, all’s good and we’ll keep building,” Conrad said.
Given Conrad’s often stated desire for allrounders in the test team – both Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder were instrumental in winning the World Test Championship – some eyebrows were raised when he selected a team for the second T20I which contained four specialist bowlers with Kagiso Rabada batting at No 8.
“There’s definitely a place for specialists, we’re obviously missing a key allrounder in Marco for this tour and a top batter in David (Miller) but it’s also about having a look at other guys. There’s also the question of how many balls a No 7 or eight actually faces in T20s, it’s minimal, and you’ll see KG’s strike rate isn’t bad at all,” Conrad said.
“No 8s usually only face eight or nine balls anyway, so if we want to be brave then we need to select attacks to beat a team like Australia. So, if I can nudge a batting unit into playing a certain way, and I concede we were a batter light for these games, then imagine what they can do when we’ve got a properly balanced side,” Conrad said adding that “…the top six should get the job done. I’m not obsessed with allrounders in this format.”
The undoubted highlight of the series was the ‘coming of age’ batting performances of Dewald Brevis who spanked a national record 125* from just 56 balls in the second match – which SA won by 53 runs – and 53 from only 26 balls in the third match.
“Aiden said the other day that ‘he’s only 22-years-old’ – he’ll get older but I hope he continues to play like a 22-year-old. Sometimes, with experience, guys tend to adjust the way that they play but he’s a breath of fresh air and he’s nailed down that spot going forward. He’ll spur on the other guys to take things on a little earlier,” Conrad said.
“Sometimes we can be too humble, we don’t show off to the world what we are capable of doing. Australia have a blueprint for how they want to play and sometimes it’s absolutely brilliant and box office stuff. And there are times when you can have them in trouble, like we did in the first couple of games, but they stay true to it.
“Guys like Stubbs, Ricks and Aiden himself, there’s so much they can do but sometimes I feel they’ve boxed themselves in a bit too much. It was a different format but it wasn’t long ago that Aiden showed what he could do with that innings in the World Test Championship final. I’m sure he’s just a couple of games away from unlocking that state of genius. It’s not always going to result in a win but I just want us to show off a bit more,” Conrad said.
The three-match ODI series starts in Cairns on Tuesday before moving to the town of Mackay, also in north Queensland, for the final two games on Friday and Sunday. Most followers would expect a change of pace in the 50-over format but Conrad only half agrees: “There isn’t much difference between the formats, you’ve just got longer to take wickets and score runs. It might be a bit slower but it should be played with exactly the same intensity.”
Glenn Maxwell’s rare skill and poise guided Australia to a nail-biting two wicket victory off the penultimate delivery of the deciding T20 International to clinch a 2-1 series victory against South Africa at the Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns on Saturday.
Dewald Brevis added a scintillating 53 from 26 balls to his match-winning 125* in the second match to help guide South Africa to a total of 172-7 after being asked to bat first but Australia seemed on course for an emphatic victory before slipping from 83-2 to 122-6.
But 36-year-old Maxwell shrugged off the loss of partners, refused singles in the closing overs in the company of the bowlers and backed himself to score 10 runs from the final over against Lungi Ngidi.
Two dot balls added to the pressure leaving him with four runs required off the last two balls which prompted, inevitably, some showmanship from the ‘Big Show’ who reverse ramped a low full toss to the unguarded third boundary to win the match and the series with a ball to spare finishing on 62 from just 36 balls with eight fours and two sixes.
Kwena Maphaka (2-36) and Kagiso Rabada (2-32) both claimed two wickets in over to drag South Africa back into a contest which seemed well beyond them with Australia on 83-2 and 120-4 chasing 173 for victory with captain Mitch Marsh in full control with an unbeaten 54.
But Maphaka’s extra pace induced the mistake from Marsh as he whipped a legside delivery to Lhuan-dre Pretorius on the deep square leg boundary and three balls later Cameron Green (9) made a similar error with a pull to Dewald Brevis at deep midwicket. Australia had slipped from 83-2 to 88-4.
Rabada was reintroduced to the attack in the 14th over with South Africa once again desperate for a wicket – and he delivered two when game one match-winner, Tim David (17) inexplicably pushed a full, straight delivery straight back to the bowler while Aaron Hardie (1) drove another full-length delivery to Corbin Bosch at long on four balls later.
Amazingly, Bosch (3-26) became the third bower to claim two wickets in an over, again when the situation seemed hopeless, dismissing Ben Dwarshuis (1) and Nathan Ellis (0) with consecutive deliveries. But Maxwell was at the non-striker’s end, waiting and ready with the killer blow.
Earlier Brevis struck six sixes, three of which disappeared over the main grandstand roof with pull and hook shots while the other trio were driven straight down the ground in characteristic fashion.
Brevis added just a single boundary before a pulling a slower-ball bouncer from seamer Ellis to deep midwicket where Maxwell held an outstanding, running catch leaving the innings faltering on 110-4 in the 12th over.
Tristan Stubbs (25 from 23 balls) failed to find his rhythm with just two fours before being bowled by legspinner Adam Zampa although Rassie van der Dussen, in the unfamiliar position of No 6, ensured a competitive total with a crisp 38 not out from 26 deliveries with three fours.
Captain Aiden Markram completed a disappointing series in his new role as opener adding just a single to scores of 18 and 12 before edging his third ball to slip but Lhuan-dre Pretorius bristled with intent driving and pulling five fours in 15 balls before pulling another Ellis slower ball straight to midwicket to depart for 24.
The three-match ODI series begins at the same venue on Tuesday before concluding in Mackay on Friday and Sunday.
AUSTRALIA: Mitch Marsh (captain), Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Tim David, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
SOUTH AFRICA: Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram (captain), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi.
Dewald Brevis deserved every headline in every publication after his national record 125* from just 56 balls in the second T20 International against Australia in Darwin on Tuesday, and it is an innings that will be remembered for some time in a format known for producing short-lasting memories.
“It was one of the best T20 innings we have seen on Australian soil, from a tourist or an Australian. It was truly special, no trick shots, just amazing skill and quality,” said former Victoria captain Adam Crosswaite, commenting on ABC radio.
“There have been big wraps on him for a couple of years now, obviously the Mumbai Indians IPL deal a couple of years ago when he was 19, and there’s always speculation that it might be more hype than substance when someone is so young,” added fellow ABC commentator and former Australian fast bowler, Jason Gillespie. “But any doubts would have been emphatically erased by that. It as incredible to watch.”
Afterwards, Brevis was torn between playing his extraordinary innings ‘up’ – or ‘down’.
“To be honest, I think that's just my natural way of hitting and I just want to go out there, enjoy i,t and have fun. And, if it's there, it happens. I'm just trying to be myself. I'm having fun and watching the ball. But it was a special moment, for sure,” Brevis said after South Africa’s series-levelling 52-run victory.
There are always ‘silent partners’ during great innings, players who run the singles and are happy to be invisible. Even front-line batsmen, senior players, who are able and willing to recognise the moment, swallow their pride and refuse to gate-crash the party. Innings like Brevis’ are rarely possible without the ‘sacrifice.’
Tristan Stubbs has yet to play an innings anywhere close to the substance of that which Brevis produced and has been a core member of the Proteas set-up for three years. His contribution to a fourth wicket partnership of 124 with Brevis was just 31 from 22 balls. It was partly because he was struggling to find the middle of his bat, but mostly because he knew it was Brevis’ day and was delighted to take a single whenever possible to keep him on strike.
“I'm extremely grateful that Stubbo played it so well,” Brevis said. “He's a boundary hitter as well, he's a great player. He could have easily taken the strike, and he’s been on this level longer and he's got experience. So, I think, he really identified that moment, and he helped me. It's not you alone out there, it's your partner that helps. If he dotted up, or if he got boundaries, then I would have been on the other end,” admitted Brevis with obvious humility.
“So, thanks to Stubbo, and I'm excited to see what he's got in him for the next matches,” Brevis said.”
The ‘hype’ to which Gillespie referred has made the Brevis journey more difficult, but he is still just 22 years old and, after 18 months of hard graft at domestic level, his long-term journey may have started.
“This is a very special place to be with the Proteas for me, and it wasn't easy. It was tough, but I'm extremely grateful for it, that's all part of your journey, and that's what makes you stronger, and that's why I'm here now.
"It’s a big reason around how I'm playing now. I do make all the same mistakes that all of the senior players warned me about, do this, do that. And then I basically made all the mistakes. So, it's important to go through that and to be able to be here now, it's special.”
Australia's Owen out of rest of white-ball series after Rabada blow
Australia all-rounder Mitchell Owen has been ruled out for the remainder of the white-ball series against South Africa due to a concussion after being struck on the helmet by Kagiso Rabada.
Cricket Australia (CA) said on Thursday that the Tasmanian passed a sideline assessment during the 53-run defeat in the second T20I in Darwin on Tuesday but later reported concussion symptoms.
His mandatory 12-day stand-down period will see him miss the series decider in Cairns on Saturday and also a potential debut in the following ODI series.
Batter Matt Short and fast bowler Lance Morris will also miss the ODI series with side and back injuries, respectively.
They were replaced in the squad by all-rounder Aaron Hardie and slow bowler Matthew Kuhnemann.
Morris reported lower back soreness and has returned to Perth for further assessment, CA said.
The T20I series is tied at 1-1, with Australia winning the first match in Darwin by 17 runs.
Proteas allrounder penalised for ICC Code of Conduct breach
The incident involving the South African allrounder occurred during the second T20I against Australia in Darwin.
Allrounder Corbin Bosch has been sanctioned for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct during South Africa’s second T20I against Australia on Tuesday.
Bosch breached Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”
The incident took place in the 17th over of Australia’s innings when, after dismissing Ben Dwarshuis, Bosch gestured towards the player’s dugout in a send-off that could have provoked an aggressive reaction from the batter.
For the offence, one demerit point has been added to Bosch’s disciplinary record. He accepted the sanction proposed by the ICC Match Officials, eliminating the need for a formal hearing.
There was plenty at stake for South Africa, who came in 1-0 down and aiming to take the series to a decider.
After a shaky start, the visitors were lifted by a brilliant knock from young Dewald Brevis, whose unbeaten 125 off just 56 balls powered them to 218/7.
Dewald Brevis held his bat aloft. If you looked closely enough, you could see the indents.
A cluster of circular and semicircular prints that can only be caused by a leather ball on willow.
They were in the region that spanned from around 150mm from the toe of the bat to close to the middle of the blade — the sweet spot.
However, Brevis wasn’t wielding his bat high for the thousands of spectators at the Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin to admire the grouping of indents.
He was acknowledging and saluting the crowd as they walked him off the pitch with a standing ovation.
They weren’t able to see the marks on the bat; however, they had watched him play an innings of the ages as he created them.
RELENTLESS, DRIVEN AND DEEPLY AMBITIOUS
Brevis tonked 12 fours and eight sixes on his way to an unbeaten 56-ball 125, which laid the foundation for South Africa’s comfortable 53-run win over Australia.
The 22-year-old indiscriminately attacked pacers and seamers in his history-making innings; he now holds the record for the most runs by a South African batter against Australia in a T20I innings.
“That was a coming-of-age knock,” Billy Brown, Brevis’s former U14 and U15 coach at Affies, shared.
The retired teacher would know, he has watched Brevis go through the various stages of development as a cricketer.
According to Brown, Brevis’s talent was undeniable from the onset; however, what made him stand out were three qualities: he was relentless, driven, and deeply ambitious.
“You saw it in the way he pushed himself. He was hard on himself whenever he underperformed. He reacted the same way when he was dismissed for two (in the first T20I against Australia),” Brown shared.
That is a theme that has been recurrent in the 22-year-old’s professional career.
In December last year, Brevis made a trip to Cape Town to seek guidance from Deon Botes.
Brevis hadn’t enjoyed a stellar year in 2024, but also hadn’t had a terrible one either.
He showed glimpses of brilliance and looked untouchable in some matches, and bombed in others.
Other cricketers would have taken that season on the chin, continued with their training regimes as normal and tried to do better.
Not Brevis. He spent a part of his Christmas holidays holed up in the Paul Roos Indoor Centre, tearing down and rebuilding his game with Botes’s assistance.
“When he struggled, many people came to him with advice on what to do. Instead of accepting or discounting all of it, we put it to the test. We did drills to see if it works for him. The indoor centre was a safe space, away from the noise. The important thing was not to be right, but to find what works for him,” Botes shared.
During those sessions, Brevis faced thousands of deliveries until he developed blisters.
Instead of stopping because of the discomfort, the 22-year-old batted through the pain.
Their first port of call was focusing on his strengths. Botes landed countless deliveries in areas where Brevis could express his strengths, and the 21-year-old played the same shot again and again.
If it meant creaming 500 consecutive cover drives, Brevis did so wholeheartedly.
Then they turned their attention to his weaknesses. Botes used the side-arm and bowling machine to put Brevis in uncomfortable positions and asked him to find solutions.
“The important thing was for him to get into good positions, strong positions, to put the bowler under pressure,” Botes explained.
BUILDING A FOUNDATION THE KEY TO SUCCESS
Coach and student worked on Brevis being still for a little longer, creating room for himself and playing with a straight bat.
By going back to Botes, his coach during his final three years at Affies, Brevis was living the advice Brown gave him early in his career at the school.
“In one of his first matches for the U14 team, Dewald tried to go over extra cover on the second ball he faced. He wasn’t successful and was dismissed. The next day, I asked him to come to my office for a chat,” Brown recalled.
According to the coach, he slid a paper across the desk and asked Brevis to draw a house. The youngster obliged. Brown asked Brevis how long he thought the house would stand. The teenager replied with years in triple figures. Brown differed.
“Your house doesn’t have a foundation, and without a foundation, it will collapse soon. That's your approach to your batting. Get the foundation, and then you start building the house,” Brown advised the boy.
Brevis added a foundation and walked out of the office with a new perspective. A year later, the teenager scored 121 runs from 101 deliveries in a must-win encounter against Menlopark.
He also took a five-wicket haul and helped the team clinch victory. Brevis inscribed a message of gratitude on the bat and gifted it to Brown.
Seven years later, Brown felt the same jolt of pride as he watched young Brevis stake his claim in international cricket.
The 22-year-old had shown glimpses of what he could do with high-impact knocks against New Zealand and Zimbabwe, but none of them was a notable milestone.
The century against Australia, on the other hand, was an unmissable landmark that proclaimed Brevis’s arrival in international cricket.
An innings of pure power, skill, and composure! 💥
Dewald Brevis became the youngest-ever South African to score a T20I century, a knock that earned him the Player of the Match award. 🌟🏏#WozaNawepic.twitter.com/lCduxdshQx
A brilliant, national record 125* from Dewald Brevis laid the platform for a series-levelling 53-run victory against Australia as the hosts were dismissed for 165 in reply to the Proteas' 218-7, their highest T20 International score against Australia at Darwin’s Marrara Oval on Tuesday night.
Brevis’s extraordinary innings came from just 56 balls with 12 fours and eight sixes as he completed dominated a fourth-wicket partnership of 124 in 9.3 overs in which Tristan Stubbs contributed just 31 from 22 balls, comfortably the second highest score in the innings.
Australia briefly threatened in the run-chase when Tim David added 50 from just 24 balls following his match-winning 83 in Sunday’s first game, but Kagiso Rabada (1-21) was reintroduced to the attack to counter the threat and immediately had the danger man caught at midwicket.
Kwena Maphaka added another three wickets to the 4-20 he claimed in the first match and, although they came at a cost of 57 runs, they included the dangermen Glenn Maxwell (16) caught at deep midwicket and Mitch Owen (8) clean bowled.
The night belonged to 22-year-old Brevis who brought up his century in just 41 balls, the second fastest in South African T20 history, before passing Faf du Plessis’s 119 to post the highest T20 score for his country.
It was his first international century, having passed 50 once in two tests and registered a top score of 41 in eight Twenty20 internationals.
He unleashed a series of bold strokes, dominating a partnership of 126 in just 9.3 overs with the subdued Stubbs, who scored 32 in just 22 balls as the anchorman.
Brevis was given a life on 56 when substitute fielder Matt Kuhnemann misjudged a catch at long on which went over the boundary.
Brevis had already hit Maxwell for successive sixes and added another after the drop in an over which cost 24 and completely transformed South Africa’s fortunes.
Brevis revived the innings after a messy start, scoring at a good rate but losing wickets regularly.
Captain Aiden Markram and wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton supercharged the innings by taking 19 from the second over of Australia’s first-game bowling hero Josh Hazlewood, swatting a six each as South Africa charged to 32-0 after three overs but stumbled to 50-2 in the Power Play.
Rickelton, who scored an enterprising 71 in the first game pulled left-armer Ben Dwarshuis to mid-on on 14 from 10 balls and Markham (18 from 13 balls) soon followed, driving offspinner Maxwell to mid off.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius, 19, had a most confused dismissal, advancing against Maxwell, hitting the ball into his pad, and continuing to run despite ‘keeper Alex Carey being within arm’s length of the ball.
He effected the easiest of embarrassing stumpings to dismiss Pretorius for 10.
South Africa replaced spinners George Linde and Senuran Muthusamy with Rassie van der Dussen and 23-year-old legspinner Nqaba Peter who bounced back impressively from a first over which cost 19 to claim the wicket of Alex Carey for 26 and finish with 1-35 from his three overs.
AUSTRALIA: Travis Head, Mitch Marsh (captain), Alex Carey (wkt), Cameron Green, Tim David, Mitch Owen, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Sean Abbott, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Nqaba Peter, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi
David trumps Rickelton as Australia beat SA by 17-runs
Tim David’s brilliant 83 from 52 balls and 3-27 from Josh Hazlewood saw Australia to a compelling 17-run victory against South Africa in the first of three T20 Internationals at the Marrara Oval in Darwin on Sunday after a disciplined bowling performance compensated for a wild batting display by Australia.
The home scored at a rapid pace but lost wickets regularly reaching an eye-watering 71-4 in the six-over Power Play before David shepherded them to 178 all from exactly 20 overs but it proved ample with the tourists succumbing to 161-9 in reply.
Opener Ryan Rickelton battled hard for his 71 from 55 balls (7x4, 1x6) and added 72 for the fourth wicket with Tristan Stubbs (37 from 27 balls) but the asking rate continued to climb after the loss of three early wickets.
Ryan Rickelton gets his second T20I half-century 🙌
Captain Aiden Markram drove three fours in the first over of the innings against Hazlewood before driving the final ball to mid off and Lhuan-dre Pretorius (14) miscued a drive against offspinner Glenn Maxwell to long off.
Dewald Brevis (2) was undone by a slower ball from left armer Ben Dwarshuis (4-0-26-3) with a leading edge lobbing tamely to cover.
When Stubbs holed out against Hazlewood South Africa lost four wickets in two overs, George Linde (0) caught at slip, Corbin Bosch (2) bowled by legspinner Adam Zampa and Senuran Muthusamy lbw to the same bowler attempting to reverse-sweep his first ball.
David’s powerful but also well-paced 83 kept Australia in the game after Cameron Green had smashed 35 from just 13 balls in a helter-skelter start.
Kwena Maphaka claimed an outstanding 4-20 from his four overs including the wicket of David, caught at long on, having hammered four fours and eight sixes during an innings played with only the tailenders for company during most of it.
Kagiso Rabada (2-29) did the early damage with the new ball having openers Travis Head (2) caught by Maphaka at deep gully and captain Mitch Marsh well caught by the same fielder with a huge skier to deep square leg.
Left arm spinner Muthusamy had remarkable figures of 1-11 from his first three overs including the wicket of the ever-dangerous Glenn Maxwell brilliantly caught at deep midwicket by a diving George Linde but David was dropped by Stubbs at long on from the first ball of his fourth over and David took advantage with two consecutive maximums.
Nonetheless, Muthusamy’s 4-0-24-1 was a highly creditable return on a flat, bouncy pitch offering no spin.
The teams have contrasting form coming into the series with Australia having won an unprecedented 22 of their last 26 T20Is including a 5-0 clean sweep in the Caribbean last month while the Proteas have managed only six wins from their last 12 matches and have not won any of their last three bilateral series. This victory Australia’s ninth in a row, a national record.
The second match of the series is at the same venue on Tuesday before concluding in Cairns on Saturday.
AUSTRALIA: Travis Head, Mitch Marsh (captain), Josh Inglis (wkt), Camerona Green, Tim David, Mitch Owen, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, George Linde, Senuran Muthusamy, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi
Australian white-ball skipper Mitchell Marsh says he will open the T20 batting with Travis Head for the foreseeable future as the team looks for stability at the top leading into next year's World Cup.
Australia have had a series of different openers in the game's shortest format since David Warner retired last year, including Matt Short, Glenn Maxwell and Jake Fraser-McGurk.
Marsh will partner Head for the first time in three T20s against South Africa starting on Sunday in Darwin, and said it will stay that way heading into the February World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
"It'll be myself and Heady up the top for the foreseeable future," Marsh said.
"Obviously we've played a lot together, got a great relationship, so (we'll) start there."
Australia are coming off a dominant 5-0 T20 series sweep against the West Indies last month with Maxwell, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green and Tim David all excelling when they had time at the crease.
The explosive David plundered an Australian record 37-ball century in the third T20, strengthening the case for him to bat higher up the order.
"We've spoken about it ... we saw that in the Caribbean, that he came in earlier than he would normally," Marsh said of David, who usually comes down the order as a power-packed finisher.
"The more balls he faces, hopefully the more games he wins us."
The clash on Sunday marks the return of international cricket to Australia's tropical north for the first time in 17 years and it is a sell-out.
South Africa has a relatively young T20 squad with Aiden Markram back as skipper after being rested from their recent series in Zimbabwe.
Kagiso Rabada leads the attack in a squad that includes four spinners in Prenelan Subrayen, George Linde, Senuran Muthusamy, and Nqaba Peter.
"Every series from here on plays a part in shaping our squads for next year's T20 World Cup and the 50-over World Cup at home in 2027," said Proteas head coach Shukri Conrad.
"Touring Australia is never easy. We know their conditions and intensity will test us in every department, and that's exactly the kind of challenge we're after."
Following the T20 series, the teams play three ODIs in Cairns and Mackay.
Australia v South Africa in Darwin - 'What it is to be 20 again' – Markram
When Aiden Markram was standing on the edge of the Marrara Oval on the outskirts of Darwin, he would have struggled to be anywhere in the cricket playing world further from Lord’s, in London. He was a very long way from anywhere.
South Africa’s T20 captain was concluding his media duties ahead of his team’s three-match series against Australia, but, as he knew at the time, he would always be remembered for his century, which did so much to win the World Test Championship final against Australia at the ‘Home of Cricket’ in June. And Australians, in particular, would always ask him about it:
“It was obviously a special time for all of us, that test match. So, very good memories and good things to keep in the bank. But it's been a while now. Some of us have come off some good rest at home, and now it’s a different format, different venue, and different opposition as well, in terms of the makeup of their T20 squad.
“So, it’s a completely new slate for us now, and we’re building up to a World Cup next year. It's an exciting journey,” Markram said.
'PLAYING WITH ABSOLUTE FREEDOM'
When Markram led South Africa to their first T20 final and lost by an agonising seven runs to India in Barbados last year, Markram knew he would always be asked about that, too. And the Australian media did not disappoint in Darwin on Friday:
“There will always be that disappointment, but we've had quite a few changes in personnel, some guys have moved on, and we have some younger guys in the squad now. It’s really about unlocking the guys to be the best versions of themselves and play with absolute freedom, to take the game on and entertain,” Markram said.
“That's what T20 cricket is all about, we know if we play good cricket against whichever team, it's going to be entertaining and it's going to be a good show for people to watch. So that's where we’re at mentally, trying to unlock that out of the players themselves.”
Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis and Kwena Maphaka have attracted particular attention in Australia with captain Mitch Marsh saying: “They've got some young guys that have burst on the scene over the last couple of years and I guess that's always exciting for international cricket and it provides us with a different challenge; we’re certainly looking forward to coming up against them.
Markram, 30, remembers the age: “Explosive and fearless. What it is to be 19 or 20 again, there's not many worries in the world when you're that age, and it reflects in when they train and how you see them operate. Each country has their own youngsters coming through, and we’ve got a handful of them on this tour, it's just exciting and a great opportunity for us to see what they're about and allow them to entertain people,” Markram said.
The first match is on Sunday, with the second on Tuesday and the third on Saturday in Cairns. Another three-match ODI series follows thereafter.
Time to move on from South Africa’s WTC win, says Rabada
South Africa’s leading paceman Kagiso Rabada says it is time to move on from the euphoria of beating Australia in the World Test Championship final while admitting a belated major trophy success has come as a relief to his team.
Rabada will lead South Africa’s attack as they take on Australia in three Twenty20 clashes and three one-day Internationals starting in Darwin on Sunday.
"I think it was special, and I've done so many interviews on that since," Rabada said of South Africa’s victory over Australia at Lord’s in June.
"I think it's time to move on. I don't think we'll forget about that ever as a team, and South Africa won't ever (forget), but time to move on now." he told a press conference on Thursday.
The five-wicket win in the WTC final followed several frustrating near misses for South Africa in limited-overs World Cups.
"It was kind of like a relief. But the show moves on, and moving toward the T20 World Cup, I guess the approach will be a bit different. Now, you know, there's no fear of anything."
Rabada is relishing a reprisal of the rivalry between Australia and South Africa.
"It's always some hard cricket being played, some good cricket," he said. "Whenever we play Australia, I always feel like they get the best out of us, because they're sort of in our faces. And I guess we like that."
Rababa, who turned 30 in May, has not played since the WTC final in London.
"Thankfully, I've had quite a long break, so that's been awesome. Maintenance work consistently has to be done because the volume of cricket is quite a bit."
The Australia tour comes ahead of next year's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, and the 2027 World Cup in Southern Africa, and South Africa hope the experience will benefit the young players in their squad.
"For me that's extremely exciting to see them raring to go. It's just about trying to see where we're at as a team, moving into almost like another generation," Rabada added.
