South Africa tour of Australia T20Is | Proteas look to ride on winning momentum in blockbuster finale

08/15/2025

Australia will meet South Africa in the third and final T20I at Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns on Saturday. South Africa have momentum behind them after their 53-run win in the second game, while Australia will depend on their big-match credentials in the decider of the three-match series.

‌With the T20 World Cup fast approaching, both Australia and South Africa will look to grab the brownie points on offer when they meet in the third T20I at Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns on Saturday. A blockbuster series finale is on the cards with both teams tied at 1-1, and the visitors having the winning momentum.

South Africa rode on Dewald Brevis’ power-packed century to level the three-match series with a 53-run win in the second T20I in Darwin on Tuesday. The young batter smashed 125 off just 56 balls to become the youngest South African to score a T20I hundred, and it was also the highest individual score by a Protean in T20Is. Though Tim David retaliated for the Aussies with a 24-ball fifty, it was overshadowed by Brevis’ swashbuckling show.

The Chennai Super Kings batter is on top of the run-scoring charts for the visitors after his exploits in the previous game. He has scored 127 runs in two matches at an average of 127.00 and a strike rate of 204.83. Meanwhile, rookie pacer Kwena Maphaka is on top of the overall wicket-takers list with seven scalps from two games at an average of 11.00 and a stunning strike rate of 6.85.

For Australia, middle-order batter Tim David has delivered the goods with the willow, amassing 133 runs in the first two games, the most by any player in the series, at an average of 66.50 and a strike rate of 175.00. Left-arm seamer Ben Dwarshuis has been Australia’s most successful bowler in the series with five wickets, while Josh Hazleweood has picked up four.

Form Guide

AUS Form: WWWWL

TR Form: WLLLW

AUS vs SA head-to-head in T20Is

Australia have dominated this fixture with 18 wins compared to South Africa’s nine in 27 matches. The trend has been the same in the last 10 matches too, with the Aussies winning seven of them.

AUS 18 - 9 SA

Pitch and Conditions

The Cairns wicket is expected to be slow and supportive to the bowlers as it prepares to host its first T20I game. Australia returns to the venue almost three years after they whitewashed New Zealand in a three-match ODI series in September 2022. It was a low-scoring contest with the home side’s 267/5 in the third ODI being the highest total across six innings.

It will be a cool and clear night at Cairns with temperatures expected to be around 12 degrees. The clouds are also expected to stay away, with the chances of rain placed at just 1%.

Team News

Australia is expected to make two changes with Josh Inglis replacing Mitchell Owen, who has been ruled out due to concussion, and Nathan Ellis coming into the side in place of Sean Abbott. Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy may reclaim his place in the starting eleven ahead od Nqabayomzi Peter.

AUS Expected XI

Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Tim David, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (wk), Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.

SA Expected XI

Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Senuran Muthusamy, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi.

Broadcasting Platforms

The Australia vs South Africa third T20I will be digitally streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India from 2:45 PM IST on Saturday. The live telecast of the match will also be available on the Star Sports Network.