The inaugural T20 match of Australia’s 2023 tour of South Africa is set to take place on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, at Kingsmead in Durban.

In the lead-up to the commencement of the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup, nearly all cricket teams find themselves immersed in preparations, diligently seeking to assemble their finest lineup for the impending major tournament. Presently, Australia finds itself engaged in a tour of South Africa, slated to encompass a trio of T20 encounters along with five ODI matches. This series bears immense significance for both teams as they fine-tune their strategies ahead of the World Cup’s kick-off.

In a significant development for the visiting side, Australia, a pivotal all-rounder in the form of Glenn Maxwell has been sidelined due to an injury sustained during practice sessions. Consequently, Matthew Wade has been summoned to step into the team as Maxwell’s replacement. With this backdrop in mind, let us delve into an examination of both competing teams.

Following a recent 2-1 T20 series loss to West Indies, South Africa finds itself compelled to secure victory in the upcoming T20 series at all costs. In preparation for this crucial contest, they have meticulously assembled a formidable roster of players, fully capable of triumphing over the visiting Australian team within the confines of their home turf.

On paper, South Africa’s batting lineup boasts considerable strength. Guiding the charge is Reeza Hendricks, partnering with Aiden Markram to spearhead the home team’s batting assault. Hendricks has amassed an impressive 1544 runs across his last 15 innings, maintaining an average hovering around 32. Complementing this prowess, Aiden Markram has showcased his form with 966 runs across 30 innings in recent matches.

Seasoned campaigners like David Miller, Rassie van der Dussen, Dewald Brevis, and the team’s captain, Temba Bavuma, bolster the lineup with their wealth of T20 experience. It is widely anticipated that these accomplished batsmen will shine on their home turf. Notably, the squad also includes the likes of Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, and Tristan Stubbs, further fortifying South Africa’s batting prowess for this home series.

The bowling arsenal of South Africa stands equally robust and battle-hardened, poised to challenge Australia’s batsmen head-on. Overseeing this formidable unit is Lungi Ngidi, ably supported by Anrich Nortje, Keshav Maharaj, Wayne Parnell, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Kagiso Rabada. The depth of the squad extends to include Sisanda Magala, Bjorn Fortuin, and Gerald Coetzee, all vying for a spot in the playing eleven for this crucial match.

Australia recently emerged triumphant in a highly successful Ashes series against England. Consequently, they made the strategic decision to grant a respite to key players such as Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Cameron Green, David Warner, and Pat Cummins for the forthcoming T20 series. However, there’s a firm belief that these players will regroup and contribute to the ODI team, showcasing a prudent approach by Australia in light of the impending cricket World Cup. This move capitalizes on the proximity of the World Cup, ensuring a roster of revitalized athletes for this significant tournament.

The lead-up to the South Africa tour was not without challenges for Australia, as they contended with a couple of injuries just prior to the tour’s commencement. Particularly, it’s anticipated that Steve Smith will be absent from the entirety of this series due to a wrist injury sustained during the Ashes series. However, optimism prevails that he will regain fitness for the impending World Cup.

Taking the reins as the new captain for this T20 series is Mitchell Marsh. With the mainstay batsmen of Australia absent, this series will serve as a litmus test for the middle and lower batting order. The batting lineup will be orchestrated by Tim David, flanked by Travis Head and Matthew Short. Providing further support to the batting order will be Aaron Hardie, Mitchell Marsh, and Ashton Turner.

In the bowling department, the responsibility of leadership falls to Jason Behrendorff, alongside Nathan Ellis, Spencer Johnson, and Adam Zampa, forming a formidable bowling unit for Australia’s campaign in South Africa.

To date, South Africa has participated in a grand total of 168 T20 matches. Out of these, they clinched victory in 96 encounters, while their opponents secured success in 69 matches. Additionally, there were 3 instances where matches involving South Africa concluded with no definitive result.

Australia’s T20 journey comprises a sum of 174 matches. Within this tally, they emerged victorious in 92 contests, while their counterparts celebrated triumph in 78 encounters. Furthermore, there were four instances where the outcome of Australia’s matches remained unresolved.

In the face-off between South Africa and Australia across 22 T20 matches, South Africa emerged triumphant in 8 instances, while Australia secured victory in 14 contests.

As per match forecasts, Australia holds the position of the favored team for emerging victorious in this upcoming match. Several contributing factors lend weight to Australia’s favoritism, encompassing the following key points:

1. Australia boasts a commendable track record when facing South Africa.
2. The Australian team currently possesses a robust and in-form batting lineup.
3. Notably, Australia will be without some of its key players for this series.
4. South Africa is participating in this series with its full complement of resources.
5. Additionally, South Africa’s batting order stands as a blend of strength and experience.

Australia holds a distinct advantage in terms of both its robust batting lineup and formidable bowling unit when compared to South Africa. This disparity has tilted the odds in favor of Australia for today’s match. The probability of victory for each team is outlined below:

Australia stands at a 52% likelihood of securing victory in this match.
South Africa’s chances of winning are estimated at 48% for today’s encounter.

The outcome of the coin toss will wield significant influence over the choices made in each match of this series. As per the toss forecast, the team that wins the toss is likely to opt for batting first.

The inaugural T20 encounter pitting South Africa against Australia is scheduled at Kingsmead, Durban. The pitch at this stadium is notably favorable for batting, accentuated by its short boundaries that are poised to challenge spin bowlers. This batting-friendly nature is expected to persist throughout the entirety of the match. For the team batting second, chasing a total of 290 could prove to be a challenging endeavor.

The weather outlook for match day in Durban appears unfavorable for a cricket contest. There exists a likelihood of rain, which could potentially lead to interruptions during the match.

South Africa: Aiden Markram (C), Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj.

Australia: Mitchell Marsh (C), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis.

It will be updated shortly

• Date: Wednesday, 30th August 2023
• Time: 04:00 PM GMT / 06:00 PM LOCAL / 09:30 PM IST

• Stadium: Kingsmead
• Location: Durban, South Africa
• Capacity: 25000
• Known as: Sahara Stadium; Kingsmead
• Ends: Umgeni End, Old Fort End
• Time Zone: UTC +02:00
• Home to: KwaZulu-Natal, Natal
• Floodlights: Yes

• Total matches: 50
• Matches won batting first: 25
• Matches won bowling first: 18
• Average 1st Inns scores: 234
• Average 2nd Inns scores: 185
• The highest total recorded: 372/6 (49.2 Ov) by RSA vs. AUS
• Lowest total recorded: 91/10 (29.1 Ov) by IND vs RSA
• Highest score chased: 372/6 (49.2 Ov) by RSA vs AUS
• Lowest score defended: 200/9 (50 Ov) by RSAW vs PAKW

Aiden Markram (C), Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams.