Australia (AUS) and South Africa (SA) are set for a nail-biting finale as they face off in the third and deciding T20I at Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns on a tense Saturday showdown.
The series stands locked at 1-1 after a thrilling see-saw battle. Australia claimed victory in the opening T20I at the Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin, securing a 17-run win with a total of 178, thanks to Tim David’s heroic half-century under pressure. South Africa roared back in the second match at the same venue, posting a formidable 218/7, powered by Dewald Brevis’ spectacular century, before dismissing Australia for 165.
AUS vs SA Match Details
| Match | Australia vs South Africa, 3rd T20I, South Africa tour of Australia 2025 |
| Venue | Cazaly’s Stadium, Cairns |
| Date & Time | Saturday, August 16, 2:45 PM (IST) |
| Live Broadcast and Streaming Details | JioHotstar and FanCode (app & website) |
Pitch Report
The Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns, while untested in men’s T20Is, has a reputation for aiding seamers early on and favoring spinners later in the game. The toss-winning captain is likely to opt to bowl first to exploit the pitch’s early assistance before conditions ease for batting.
AUS vs SA Head to Head in T20Is
| Matches Played | 27 |
| Won By AUS | 18 |
| Won By SA | 09 |
| No Result | 0 |
| Tied | 0 |
| First-Ever Fixture | January 9, 2006 |
| Most-Recent Fixture | August 12, 2025 |
AUS vs SA Predicted Playing XIs
Australia (AUS):
Captain: Mitchell Marsh, Travis Head, Alex Carey (WK), Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Tim David, Mitchell Owen, Ben Dwarshuis, Sean Abbott, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
South Africa (SA):
Captain: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Lhuan-dre Pretorius (WK), Dewald Brevis, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch, Nqabayomzi Peter, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi.
Probable Top Performers
Probable Best Batter: Tim David
Tim David has been a standout in the series, leading the run charts with 133 runs at an average of 66.50. His impact with the bat will be crucial in the final clash.
Probable Best Bowler: Ben Dwarshuis
Australia’s Ben Dwarshuis has shone as the top bowler, showcasing skill and control with figures of 3/26 and 2/24 in the previous matches.
Today’s Match Prediction: Team batting second to win the match
Disclaimer: This prediction reflects the author’s analysis and is a guide for viewers to form their own opinions.
