The South Africans have been unstoppable in 2025, from winning an ICC title and ending a 27-year-long drought in ICC events to witnessing massive wins against Australia and England on their soil. Skipper Temba Bavuma has done it all and aced it all.
The South Africans are often referred to as one of the greatest teams in international cricket; however, their performance in ICC knockouts and in away internationals in white-ball cricket has not been up to their high standards.
Despite inching to several close moments of sealing an ICC title, South Africans missed it on several occasions back in 1992, 2007, 2015, 2023, and most recently in the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy as well. However, they won their second ICC title and first major one in the World Test Championship Final in 2025.
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South Africa ended its ODI series drought in England after 27 years
Ever since 1998, South Africa has never won a single ODI series on English soil. They have played four times since then and have lost two while managing to draw on two other occasions, but could never win a series individually.
The Proteas registered two back-to-back wins in the ongoing series against England, where they won the first match with some convincing bowling form, while they also stunned with their batting performance in the second game.
The series decider ended in a high-scoring saga, as the two teams put 655 runs on the board together, as England lost the chase by a very close margin, since Jofra Archer’s cameo could not see through Sethuran Methusamy’s nerves of steel during the final over.
A brief Highlight of the ENG vs SA 2nd ODI
Despite their captaincy swap, England continues their low in white-ball cricket, as they lose a home series to the South Africans. Though clearly not one-sided, the series decider at Headingley ended in favour of the Proteas.
The Proteas batted first with runs from the two openers Markram and Rickelton; however, the main and high dose of contribution came from the middle-order batters Matthew Breetzke, Tristan Stubbs, and Dewald Brevis, who provided the finishing touch.
Breetzke scored his 5th consecutive half-century since his debut in ODI cricket, as the batter has been unstoppable since his 150-run debut against New Zealand. Stubbs has been the anchor of the Proteas’ middle-overs batting, while Brevis is now in charge of accelerating the scoring rate after Heinrich Klaasen announced his retirement.
Though England did not have a great start, even their middle order added crucial runs, from Joe Root, skipper Harry Brook, young Jacob Bethell, former skipper Jos Buttler, and Will Jacks. They inched closer to the target with Jofra Archer’s cameo but fell short by just 5 runs in the final over.
Proteas register back-to-back record wins after Australia series win, ending 35-year-long wait
This marks another record set by the Temba Bavuma side, after they secured a huge win over the Aussies on Australian soil with a 2-1 margin in the ODI series. This had ended their 35-year-long drought of winning a bilateral series on Australian soil.
The series marked an absolute stunner, as despite South Africa’s win, the Aussies too fired back in the final game with a spectacular 431 runs in their innings with all 3 of their top 3 players scoring quickfire hundreds, especially Cameron Green, who scored his maiden ODI hundred off just 47 balls.
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