Australia and South Africa meet for the first time since the WTC Final
Author: Tom Penn
Updated At:
There has always been an added edge to any Australia vs South Africa contest and these two white ball series over the next fortnight should not be any different!
From the infamous 'Sandpaper Test' in Newlands in 2018, to the World Test Championship Final at Lord's in June 2025, not to mention the World Cup semi-final at Edgbaston in 1999, these contests always provide entertainment, high quality cricket, and often some surprising talking points.
With the England vs India five-match Test series and the Zimbabwe vs New Zealand two-match Test series concluded, this T20I series between Australia and South Africa suddenly takes centre-stage.
The Venue For Sunday's Opener
It was 2008 when Darwin last hosted a full international with Australia taking on Bangladesh in three ODIs so after 17 years the Marrara Oval can take centre-stage!
As such, there's something of the unknown about the surface although in a four-day game one can expect the surface to deteriorate. Across two 20 over innings in a T20I there will be no such worries and supporters can expect a quality batting pitch.
The Players To Watch For Australia
Australia are not far off full strength for this series and come into this opener full of confidence after thrashing West Indies 5-0 in the Caribbean last month.
Their team is further strengthend by the supreme all-format left-handed batting star Travis Head, someone who is so often worth backing, and he will take his place at the top of the order alongside captain Mitchell Marsh.
There's a powerhouse middle-order for the Aussies as well with the in-form Cameron Green alongside Tim David and the great Glenn Maxwell.
With the ball, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc are rested but Josh Hazlewood is back to show off his consistent hard lengths and he will bowl in tandem with T20 pace specialists, Nathan Ellis and Sean Abbott.
The Players To Watch For South Africa
Following a tri-series in Zimbabwe which saw the Proteas reach the final before losing to New Zealand, there are big name returns for South Africa as well.
Skipper Aiden Markram will take his place in the top four while quick bowler Kagiso Rabada, one of the few able to rival Jasprit Bumrah as the top all-format pacer, also returns.
And the batting line-up is also one for South Africa fans to be excited by with Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Ryan Rickelton all producing the goods at high levels already in their respective careers.
It all gets underway at 18:45 local time in Darwin on Sunday and promises to be quite the series!
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