Proteas gear up for 2025 T20 World Cup

South Africa team huddle before the match.

With the Test mace safely tucked away in the trophy cabinet, the South African men’s cricket team has its sights set firmly on the next big ICC event — the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February next year.

According to T20 captain, Aiden Markram, that journey starts in Darwin on Sunday with the first of three T20 Internationals against the old foe, Australia.

While the Proteas will take confidence from their five-wicket win over Australia in World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June, they are fully aware that this is a different format, which comes with its challenges.

Also, it is a relatively unknown wicket in Darwin with the last international match played there back in 2008, when the Aussies took on Bangladesh in a T20 International.

“It was a special time for all of us. That test match had good things and good memories to keep in the bank. But it’s been a while now, some of us have come off some good rest at home and obviously now it’s a different format, different venue and kind of a different opposition as well in terms of the make-up of their T20 squad. So completely new slate for us now and building up to a World Cup in Feb next year, so it’s an exciting journey to start,” says Markram.

According to Markram, South Africa will look to play an entertaining brand of cricket as they prepare for the T20 World Cup in February and March next year.

“Already we have had quite a few changes of personnel, as well some guys have moved on, got some younger guys in the squad as well. So it’s really just unlocking the guys to sort of be the best versions of themselves, play with absolute take the game on and entertain what T20 cricket is all about. So we know if we play good cricket against whichever team it’s going to be entertaining, it’s going to be a good show for people to watch, so that is sort of where we are at mentally and just unlock that out of the players themselves,” adds Markram.