South Africa will take on Australia in the first ODI of a three-match series at Kingsmead in Durban on Thursday, September 24. The series serves as important preparation for both teams ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
South Africa enter the series with several concerns in their pace department. Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Ottneil Baartman are unavailable because of injuries, while Nandre Burger is also dealing with a back problem. Aiden Markram will miss the first ODI for personal reasons, leaving Temba Bavuma’s side with some selection challenges.
Australia, meanwhile, arrive after completing a 3-0 ODI series sweep over Zimbabwe. Captain Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc return for the South Africa leg of the tour, strengthening an attack that also includes Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa.
SA vs AUS: Match details
| Match | South Africa vs Australia, 1st ODI, Australia tour of South Africa 2026 |
|---|---|
| Date | Thursday, September 24, 2026 |
| Time | 1:30 PM IST / 10:00 AM local |
| Venue | Kingsmead, Durban |
| Series | Three-match ODI series |
| Live streaming | FanCode |
The match begins at 10:00 AM local time in Durban and 1:30 PM IST.
Kingsmead: Pitch report
Kingsmead traditionally offers assistance to pace bowlers, particularly early in the innings. The surface can provide movement and bounce for the quicks, while batters who spend time at the crease can score freely once they adjust to the conditions.
Pace has generally been more effective than spin at the venue, although spinners can still play an important role in controlling the middle overs.
SA vs AUS: Head-to-head record in ODIs
South Africa and Australia have played 113 ODIs against each other. The Proteas have won 57 matches, while Australia have won 52. Three matches ended in ties and one produced no result.
| Matches | South Africa | Australia | Tied | No result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 113 | 57 | 52 | 3 | 1 |
SA vs AUS: Predicted playing XIs
South Africa
- Tony de Zorzi
- Quinton de Kock (WK)
- Temba Bavuma (C)
- Matthew Breetzke
- Tristan Stubbs
- David Miller
- Marco Jansen
- Corbin Bosch
- Keshav Maharaj
- Gerald Coetzee
- Lizaad Williams
South Africa have several pace-bowling options unavailable, creating opportunities for players such as Gerald Coetzee and Lizaad Williams. Breetzke is also expected to play an important role after an impressive start to his ODI career.
Australia
- Travis Head
- Mitchell Marsh (C)
- Josh Inglis (WK)
- Cooper Connolly
- Matthew Renshaw
- Cameron Green
- Oliver Peake
- Mitchell Starc
- Josh Hazlewood
- Nathan Ellis
- Adam Zampa
Australia’s squad also includes Jack Edwards, who is in contention for his ODI debut. Cummins remains the official ODI captain, although Mitchell Marsh leads Australia in the first ODI.
SA vs AUS: Probable best performers
Probable best batter: Matthew Breetzke
Matthew Breetzke has made an excellent start to his ODI career. He has scored 150, 83, 57, 88 and 85 in his first five ODI innings, giving him an average above 90 after those matches. His ability to attack the bowling from the top order makes him one of South Africa’s key batting options.
Probable best bowler: Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc returns to Australia’s ODI setup after sitting out the recent Zimbabwe series. His pace and ability to generate movement with the new ball could make him particularly dangerous at Kingsmead.
SA vs AUS: Match prediction
South Africa have home conditions in their favour, but Australia arrive with momentum from their 3-0 series victory over Zimbabwe and welcome back several experienced players.
The Kingsmead surface could bring the fast bowlers into the contest, making the battle between Australia’s pace attack and South Africa’s top order particularly important. The team that adapts quickest to the conditions should have the advantage.
Australia will enter the contest with strong recent ODI momentum, while South Africa will look to use home conditions to start the series positively.
