Everything You Need to Know About the Proteas vs Australia Rivalry

Rethabile Nyelele5 August , 2025

9 3 minutes read

Everything You Need to Know About the Proteas vs Australia Rivalry — Image: AFP

Australia will host South Africa in a rare winter home series, bringing international cricket to Darwin and Cairns for a thrilling three-match T20I contest. This BKT Tyres Men’s T20I Series marks another exciting chapter in the fierce rivalry between the two cricketing giants and provides crucial preparation ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

With both teams looking to fine-tune their combinations, the upcoming matches will offer a glimpse into their T20 plans and feature a mix of youth, experience, and firepower.

Proteas vs Australia: T20I Fixtures

1st T20I: Saturday, August 10, Marrara Stadium, Darwin – 7:00 PM AEST (11:00 AM CAT)
2nd T20I: Monday, August 12, Marrara Stadium, Darwin – 7:00 PM AEST (11:00 AM CAT)
3rd T20I: Friday, August 16, Cazalys Stadium, Cairns – 7:00 PM AEST (11:00 AM CAT)

How to Watch & Follow

Live broadcast: All matches will be shown on Kayo Sports and Foxtel in Australia.
Radio: Tune into ABC Sport for live commentary.
Online: Match highlights, interviews, and exclusive coverage on Cricket.com.au and the CA Live app.
Podcast: Get in-depth insights from the Unplayable Podcast, reporting from Darwin and Cairns.

Australia T20I Squad

Captain: Mitchell Marsh
Sean Abbott, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa

Form guide: Australia have won 12 of their last 13 T20Is.
Notable additions: Travis Head, Josh Hazlewood, Matt Short return from injury or rest.
Players rested: Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc miss out.
Breakout stars: Mitch Owen, the explosive No.6 batter, impressed with a strike rate of 192 and 12 sixes vs West Indies.

South Africa T20I Squad

Captain: Aiden Markram
Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Rassie van der Dussen

Debuts and youth: Kwena Maphaka (19) could cause problems with his 150+ kph pace.
Key absentees: David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Anrich Nortje, and Marco Jansen are being rested.
Uncapped talent: Off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen will be eager to impress.

Head-to-Head in T20Is

Matches played: 25
Australia wins: 17
South Africa wins: 8
Recent series: Australia swept the 2023 series 3-0 in Durban.

Venue Insights: Darwin & Cairns

Darwin (Marrara Stadium): Last hosted an international match in 2008. Batting-friendly surfaces observed in recent Australia A games.
Cairns (Cazalys Stadium): Hosted ODIs in 2022 and a BBL game in 2023. Generally favors balanced cricket with good bounce.

Neither team has played a T20I at either venue, adding a level of unpredictability.

Players to Watch

Mitch Owen
Australia’s middle-order find of the season. Smashed three 30+ scores at No.6 vs West Indies.

Kwena Maphaka
Lightning-fast left-arm seamer. Already clocked 151.6 kph on debut. Could thrive in bouncy northern pitches.

Rapid Stats

Adam Zampa: Recently became the first Australian man to reach 100 T20Is and has 125 wickets.
Australia’s Powerplay dominance: Strike rate of 185 since last World Cup best among full members.
South Africa’s Powerplay woes: Ranked 10th with a strike rate of 122.
Lungi Ngidi: Will play his 50th T20I if he features in all three games. Struggled vs Australia (economy rate of 11.28).

What’s Next?

After the T20Is, the sides will square off again in a three-match ODI series:

1st ODI: August 19, Cairns
2nd ODI: August 22, Mackay
3rd ODI: August 24, Mackay

This series brings international cricket back to the Top End and Far North Queensland and adds spice to a growing T20 rivalry. While Australia aim to fine-tune a winning machine, South Africa are experimenting with emerging stars, making this an exciting and unpredictable contest.

Whether you’re tuning in via Kayo, following online, or soaking it up at the stadium, this series promises to be a firecracker in the Australian winter.