ISLAMABAD: Australia and South Africa will meet in a three-match ODI series starting Tuesday, August 19, in Cairns and Mackay, as the two sides resume one of international cricket’s fiercest rivalries.
T20 and Champions Trophy drama
The series arrives on the heels of some intense face-offs between the two sides. In the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final this June, South Africa pulled off a record-breaking fourth-innings chase of 282 to claim their first ICC title in 27 years, rewriting the script of near-misses with a moment of glory.
The T20I series that followed was nothing short of electric — Dewald Brevis lit up the second game with a blistering 41-ball century, keeping the Proteas alive, only for Australia to sneak past in the decider by two wickets, thanks to Glenn Maxwell’s icy 62* off 36.
Now, the ODI leg of this rivalry is ready to unfold with matches scheduled for August 19 (Cazaly’s Stadium, Cairns), August 22, and August 24 (Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay).
Both teams are also returning to ODI cricket for the first time since their semi-final heartbreaks at the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
Australia were knocked out by India, who went on to lift the title, while South Africa bowed out against eventual runners-up New Zealand — another chapter added to the Proteas’ complex relationship with knockouts.
Changing tides in global rankings
Elsewhere in the ODI world, the West Indies have made waves by defeating Pakistan 2-1 and rising to ninth, breaking into the automatic qualification zone for the 2027 World Cup.
Pakistan, as a result, dropped to fifth, a setback ahead of their upcoming series against Sri Lanka.
ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings (Top 10):
India – 124
New Zealand – 109
Australia – 109
Sri Lanka – 103
Pakistan – 100
South Africa – 96
Afghanistan – 91
England – 88
West Indies – 80
Bangladesh – 77
With star players in form, rankings in flux, and reputations on the line, all eyes now turn to Cazaly’s Stadium on Tuesday, where Australia and South Africa begin their next battle – not just for victory, but for global standing in a format that’s growing ever more competitive.
Australia (possible): 1 Travis Head, 2 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 3 Cameron Green, 4 Marnus Labuschagne, 5 Josh Inglis (wk), 6 Alex Carey, 7 Aaron Hardie, 8 Xavier Bartlett, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood
South Africa (possible): 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Ryan Rickelton, 3 Temba Bavuma (capt), 4 Matthew Breetzke, 5 Dewald Brevis, 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Nandre Burger, 11 Lungi Ngidi
