The Australia vs South Africa cricket rivalry is one of the sport’s greatest battles. These two teams have faced each other for over a century. Australia leads the overall record with 54 Test wins against South Africa’s 26.
The ODI format shows a much closer contest at 52-50 in Australia’s favor. Both teams feature world-class players and intense competition. This timeline captures their memorable encounters across all formats from 1910 to 2025.
Latest Matches
| Tournament | Venue | Date | Toss | Australia Score | South Africa Score | Result | Series | Player of the Match |
| South Africa tour of Australia | Mackay | Aug 24, 2025 | Australia (bat) | 431 (50 ov) | 438/9 (49.5 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 1 wkt | South Africa tour of Australia 2025 | Aiden Markram (SA) |
| South Africa tour of Australia | Mackay | Aug 22, 2025 | South Africa (bat) | 193 (37.4 ov) | 277 (49.1 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 84 runs | South Africa tour of Australia 2025 | Lungi Ngidi (SA) |
| South Africa tour of Australia | Mackay | Aug 19, 2025 | South Africa (bat) | 198 (36 ov) | 296/8 (50 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 98 runs | South Africa tour of Australia 2025 | Senuran Muthusamy (SA) |
| South Africa tour of Australia | Cairns | Aug 16, 2025 | South Africa (field) | 173/8 (20 ov) | 174/2 (16.3 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 8 wkts | South Africa tour of Australia 2025 | Tristan Stubbs (SA) |
| South Africa tour of Australia | Darwin | Aug 12, 2025 | South Africa (bat) | 165 (20 ov) | 218/7 (20 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 53 runs | South Africa tour of Australia 2025 | Dewald Brevis (SA) |
| South Africa tour of Australia | Darwin | Aug 10, 2025 | South Africa (field) | 178 (20 ov) | 161/9 (20 ov) | 🇦🇺 Australia won by 17 runs | South Africa tour of Australia 2025 | Corbin Bosch (SA) |
| ICC World Test Championship Final | Lord’s | Jun 11-14, 2025 | Australia (bat) | 212 & 207 | 138 & 282/5 | 🇦🇺 Australia won by 5 wkts | ICC World Test Championship 2023-2025 | Mitchell Starc (AUS) |
| ICC Cricket World Cup | Lucknow | Oct 12, 2023 | Australia (bat) | 177 (40.5 ov) | 311/7 (50 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 134 runs | ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 | Quinton de Kock (SA) |
Last 10 T20I Matches
Overall T20I Record: Australia leads 14-8 in 22 matches
| Tournament | Venue | Date | Toss | Australia Score | South Africa Score | Result | Series | Player of the Match |
| South Africa tour of Australia | Cairns | Aug 16, 2025 | South Africa (field) | 173/8 (20 ov) | 174/2 (16.3 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 8 wkts | South Africa tour of Australia 2025 | Tristan Stubbs (SA) |
| South Africa tour of Australia | Darwin | Aug 12, 2025 | South Africa (bat) | 165 (20 ov) | 218/7 (20 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 53 runs | South Africa tour of Australia 2025 | Dewald Brevis (SA) |
| South Africa tour of Australia | Darwin | Aug 10, 2025 | South Africa (field) | 178 (20 ov) | 161/9 (20 ov) | 🇦🇺 Australia won by 17 runs | South Africa tour of Australia 2025 | Corbin Bosch (SA) |
| Australia tour of South Africa | Durban | Sep 3, 2023 | South Africa (bat) | 191/5 (17.5 ov) | 190/8 (20 ov) | 🇦🇺 Australia won by 5 wkts | Australia tour of South Africa 2023 | Mitchell Marsh (AUS) |
| Australia tour of South Africa | Durban | Sep 1, 2023 | South Africa (bat) | 168/2 (14.5 ov) | 164/8 (20 ov) | 🇦🇺 Australia won by 8 wkts | Australia tour of South Africa 2023 | Mitchell Marsh (AUS) |
| Australia tour of South Africa | Durban | Aug 30, 2023 | South Africa (bat) | 111/5 (10 ov) | 115/10 (15.3 ov) | 🇦🇺 Australia won by 5 wkts (DLS) | Australia tour of South Africa 2023 | Matthew Short (AUS) |
| ICC Men’s T20 World Cup | Perth | Oct 30, 2022 | South Africa (bat) | 133/9 (20 ov) | 137/5 (19.4 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 5 wkts | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 | Lungi Ngidi (SA) |
| South Africa tour of Australia | Adelaide | Nov 5, 2014 | South Africa (bat) | 101/7 (17.3 ov) | 145/6 (20 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 7 wkts (DLS) | South Africa tour of Australia 2014 | Rilee Rossouw (SA) |
| South Africa tour of Australia | Sydney | Nov 9, 2014 | Australia (bat) | 145/6 (20 ov) | 146/4 (19 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 6 wkts | South Africa tour of Australia 2014 | Rilee Rossouw (SA) |
Last 10 ODI Matches
Overall ODI Record: Australia leads 52-50 in 107 matches (5 NR)
| Tournament | Venue | Date | Toss | Australia Score | South Africa Score | Result | Series | Player of the Match |
| South Africa tour of Australia | Mackay | Aug 24, 2025 | Australia (bat) | 431 (50 ov) | 438/9 (49.5 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 1 wkt | South Africa tour of Australia 2025 | Aiden Markram (SA) |
| South Africa tour of Australia | Mackay | Aug 22, 2025 | South Africa (bat) | 193 (37.4 ov) | 277 (49.1 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 84 runs | South Africa tour of Australia 2025 | Lungi Ngidi (SA) |
| South Africa tour of Australia | Mackay | Aug 19, 2025 | South Africa (bat) | 198 (36 ov) | 296/8 (50 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 98 runs | South Africa tour of Australia 2025 | Senuran Muthusamy (SA) |
| ICC Cricket World Cup | Lucknow | Oct 12, 2023 | Australia (bat) | 177 (40.5 ov) | 311/7 (50 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 134 runs | ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 | Quinton de Kock (SA) |
| Australia tour of South Africa | Potchefstroom | Sep 17, 2023 | Australia (field) | 252 (34.5 ov) | 315/9 (50 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 63 runs | Australia tour of South Africa 2023 | Marco Jansen (SA) |
| Australia tour of South Africa | Centurion | Sep 15, 2023 | Australia (field) | 252/3 (34.5 ov) | 252 (34.5 ov) | 🇦🇺 Australia won by 7 wkts | Australia tour of South Africa 2023 | Marnus Labuschagne (AUS) |
| Australia tour of South Africa | Centurion | Sep 12, 2023 | Australia (field) | 269/9 (50 ov) | 392/8 (50 ov) | 🇦🇺 Australia won by 123 runs | Australia tour of South Africa 2023 | Marnus Labuschagne (AUS) |
| Australia tour of South Africa | Bloemfontein | Sep 9, 2023 | Australia (field) | 315 (50 ov) | 392/8 (50 ov) | 🇦🇺 Australia won by 123 runs | Australia tour of South Africa 2023 | Marnus Labuschagne (AUS) |
| Australia tour of South Africa | Durban | Sep 7, 2023 | Australia (bat) | 222 (49 ov) | 225/3 (34 ov) | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 7 wkts | Australia tour of South Africa 2023 | Reeza Hendricks (SA) |
| ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup | Kolkata | Nov 16, 2023 | South Africa (bat) | 215/7 (47.2 ov) | 212 (49.4 ov) | 🇦🇺 Australia won by 3 wkts | ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 | Travis Head (AUS) |
Last 10 Test Matches
Overall Test Record: Australia leads 54-26 in 101 matches (21 draws)
| Tournament | Venue | Date | Toss | Australia Score | South Africa Score | Result | Series | Player of the Match |
| ICC World Test Championship Final | Lord’s | Jun 11-14, 2025 | Australia (bat) | 212 & 207 | 138 & 282/5 | 🇦🇺 Australia won by 5 wkts | ICC World Test Championship 2023-2025 | Mitchell Starc (AUS) |
| Australia v South Africa | Sydney | Jan 4-8, 2023 | Australia (bat) | 475/4d (131 ov) | 255 & 106/2 (41 ov) | Match drawn | Australia v South Africa 2022/23 | Usman Khawaja (AUS) |
| Australia v South Africa | Melbourne | Dec 26-29, 2022 | Australia (bat) | 575/8d (145 ov) | 189 & 204 (68.5 ov) | 🇦🇺 Australia won by inns & 182 runs | Australia v South Africa 2022/23 | David Warner (AUS) |
| Australia v South Africa | Brisbane | Dec 17-20, 2022 | Australia (bat) | 218 & 35/4 (7.5 ov) | 152 & 99 (37.4 ov) | 🇦🇺 Australia won by 6 wkts | Australia v South Africa 2022/23 | Travis Head (AUS) |
| South Africa v Australia | Johannesburg | Apr 3-7, 2022 | South Africa (bat) | 488 & 149 | 361 & 277 | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 220 runs | South Africa v Australia 2021/22 | Keshav Maharaj (SA) |
| South Africa v Australia | Durban | Mar 1-5, 2022 | Australia (bat) | 298 (92.2 ov) | 243 & 192 | 🇦🇺 Australia won by inns & 71 runs | South Africa v Australia 2021/22 | Vernon Philander (SA) |
| South Africa v Australia | Gqeberha | Feb 20-24, 2022 | South Africa (bat) | 382 & 259 | 243 & 239 | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 6 wkts | South Africa v Australia 2021/22 | Kagiso Rabada (SA) |
| South Africa v Australia | Cape Town | Mar 22-26, 2018 | Australia (bat) | 311 & 119 | 298 & 373 | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 322 runs | South Africa v Australia 2017/18 | Morne Morkel (SA) |
| South Africa v Australia | Johannesburg | Mar 30-Apr 3, 2018 | Australia (bat) | 221 & 119 | 488 | 🇿🇦 South Africa won by 492 runs | South Africa v Australia 2017/18 | Morne Morkel (SA) |
| South Africa v Australia | Durban | Mar 1-4, 2018 | Australia (bat) | 351 & 227 | 162 & 298 | 🇦🇺 Australia won by 118 runs | South Africa v Australia 2017/18 | Mitchell Starc (AUS) |
Key Performances
| Player | Team | Match | Performance |
| Aiden Markram | South Africa | 3rd ODI 2025 (Mackay) | 125 off 106 balls |
| Lungi Ngidi | South Africa | 2nd ODI 2025 (Mackay) | 5/42 in 8.4 overs |
| Senuran Muthusamy | South Africa | 1st ODI 2025 (Mackay) | 5/42 in 8 overs |
| Tristan Stubbs | South Africa | 3rd T20I 2025 (Cairns) | 47* off 18 balls |
| Dewald Brevis | South Africa | 2nd T20I 2025 (Darwin) | 125 off 74 balls |
| Mitchell Starc | Australia | WTC Final 2025 (Lord’s) | 5/53 & 5/78 (10 wickets) |
| Travis Head | Australia | WTC Final 2025 (Lord’s) | 163 off 174 balls |
Rivalry Summary
The Australia vs South Africa cricket rivalry is one of the sport’s most intense and storied matchups, spanning over a century from the first Test in 1910 to the present day.
Overall Statistics (230+ matches)
- Tests: Australia leads 54-26 in 101 matches (21 draws)
- ODIs: Very competitive – Australia leads 52-50 in 107 matches (5 no results)
- T20Is: Australia leads 14-8 in 22 matches
Key Characteristics
- Australia holds overall dominance, particularly in Test cricket
- South Africa remains highly competitive at home, creating a formidable fortress
- ODI format shows the closest competition between the two sides
- Recent 2025 encounters demonstrate South Africa’s resurgence
Historic Moments
- 1999 World Cup Semi-Final: Dramatic tie, with Australia advancing on superior Super Six standing
- 2018 Ball-Tampering Scandal: The Cape Town incident that marred the series
- 2024 Test Series: Australia’s dominant 3-0 whitewash in South Africa
- 2025 WTC Final: Australia’s thrilling 5-wicket victory at Lord’s amid DRS controversies
Recent Trends (2025)
South Africa showed strong form during their August 2025 tour of Australia, winning the ODI series 3-0 and taking the T20I series 2-1, though Australia claimed the prestigious WTC Final earlier in June.
Conclusion
The Australian vs South Africa cricket timeline represents one of international cricket’s most compelling narratives. From the earliest Tests in the 1900s to the modern era’s high-stakes encounters.
This rivalry has consistently delivered memorable moments, outstanding individual performances, and intense tactical battles. The contrasting styles—Australia’s aggressive pace attack versus South Africa’s resilient batting and varied bowling—create fascinating contests across all formats.
While Australia maintains statistical superiority, particularly in Tests, South Africa’s ability to compete at the highest level, especially on home soil, ensures every encounter remains fiercely contested.
Muhammad Shoaib is a seasoned content creator with 10 years of experience specializing in Meaning and Caption blogs. He is the driving force behind ExactWordMeaning.com, where he shares insightful, clear, and engaging explanations of words, phrases, and captions.
