Top 5 South Africa players to look out for during T20I series vs Australia

Business Standard

7 days ago

After falling just short in a tri-series final against New Zealand in Zimbabwe, South Africa shift their attention to a crucial three-match series against Australia, a vital preparation phase ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
With several senior players returning, including captain Aiden Markram and pace ace Kagiso Rabada, the squad looks more balanced, yet the emphasis remains on experimentation and squad development.
The emergence of promising talents like Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, and Kwena Maphaka is central to South Africa's evolving strategy, as they aim to solidify their bench strength while fine-tuning roles across departments. This series offers a valuable platform for both youth and experience to shine on Australian soil.
Here are top 5 players from South Africa you need to look out for during the upcoming T20I series against Australia -
Dewald Brevis - Dewald Brevis has quickly emerged as a key player to watch ahead of South Africa's T20I series against Australia. He showed encouraging form during the recent Zimbabwe tri-series, finishing as South Africa's top run-scorer with 133 runs at a blistering strike rate of 187.32.
While he couldn't take his side over the line in the final, his intent and power-hitting were hard to miss. These were Brevis' first T20Is since debuting against Australia in 2023, and his progress since then has been closely tracked. With the 2026 T20 World Cup approaching, Brevis looks primed for a crucial middle-order role.
Lhuan dre Pretorius - Lhuan-dre Pretorius is another exciting young talent to keep an eye on in South Africa's T20I series against Australia. Included in the white-ball squad for the Darwin tour, Pretorius brings strong form and confidence, having finished as the top run-scorer in the SA20 earlier this year.
His ability to score quickly and adapt to different match situations makes him a valuable asset in the middle order. With South Africa looking to build a flexible and fearless batting unit ahead of the T20 World Cup, Pretorius will be eager to translate his domestic dominance onto the international stage against a high-quality Aussie attack.
Kwena Mphaka - Still just 19, Kwena Maphaka is quickly establishing himself as one of South Africa's most exciting young fast-bowling prospects and a definite player to watch in the upcoming T20I series against Australia. Fast-tracked into the senior setup, Maphaka has already featured in two Tests, two ODIs, and eight T20Is, collecting 18 international wickets across formats, an impressive return for someone so early in their career. His raw pace, aggression, and ability to strike early make him a serious threat, even against seasoned batting line-ups. Against a powerful Australian top order, Maphaka could have a breakout moment on the big stage.
Kagiso Rabada - Leading the pace attack again for the Proteas, Rabada is always a player to have your eyes on as he looks to take his side through to the finish line once again against a fierce threat by the Aussies in white-ball formats this time. Aiden Markram - Skipper Markram was pretty influential in the sides' triumph at Lord's against the Australians in the WTC final as his match winning final handed the title to his side. With the change in formats, Markam would be hoping to produce similar heroics in order to get the better of the a side that is ranked higher than them at the moment.