South Africa vs Australia, 2020: 3-match ODI series – Statistical Preview

South Africa will host Australia in a 3-match ODI series after a couple of big losses against them during the T20I series defeat. Australia has struggled to get the better of South Africa in the ODI format in the last couple of years which includes a close loss during the 2019 World Cup. However, the Aussies have produced greater consistency in limited-overs results over the last 12 months with the return of star players. South Africa, on the other hand, have failed to win a limited-overs series in the current home season.

All the key stats and numbers ahead of the 3-match ODI series between South Africa and Australia:

0-5 – Australia lost each of their last five ODI matches in South Africa as they were whitewashed by South Africa during the 5-match ODI series in 2016.

1-7 – Australia has won only one of their last eight ODI matches against South Africa. The recent most ODI game between these two sides was the last group stage match of the 2019 CWC which the Proteas won by 10 runs.

1 – The 2-wicket defeat against England in the recent Johannesburg ODI was South Africa’s lone defeat in their last nine ODI matches at home. They won seven consecutive home ODIs before the washed-out match during the series against England in Durban.

4 – David Warner has four centuries across 20 ODIs against South Africa; the most ODI hundreds for Warner against any opponent. Warner scored a total of 943 at an average of 47.15 against South Africa and also scored four fifties. No other Australian scored as many ODI tons as Warner against the Proteas.

4-8 – South Africa managed to win only four of the 13 International matches in the 2019/20 season and lost as many as eight games. South Africa lost 9 Internationals in 2017/18 and eight in 2001/02 but played 24 and 19 matches respectively.

98 – Pat Cummins needs two more wickets to complete 100 wickets in the ODI format. Cummins has taken 98 wickets in his 61-match ODI career till date. He claimed only 5 wickets from his last 8 ODIs but picked 28 wickets in the 10 matches before.

1080 – Faf du Plessis has aggregated 1080 runs in ODI format against Australia across 21 innings at an average of 54. He struck five tons and three fifties against the Aussies till date. The five hundreds are the most for Faf in ODIs against any opponent and Sri Lanka (1166) is the only other side against which he amassed 1000+ runs. No player other than Du Plessis scored as many as five hundreds in SA-AUS ODIs.

2003 – Australia has not played at any of the three venues hosting this 3-match ODI series post the 2003 World Cup. They played three ODIs apiece at the Bloemfontein’s Mangaung Oval and Potchefstroom’s Senwes Park but never played at the Boland Park in Paarl which will be hosting the first ODI.

4844 – Runs Quinton de Kock has aggregated in his International cricket on South African soil. De Kock needs 156 more runs to become the 9th player with 5000+ International runs in South Africa.

11947 – Steve Smith has scored 11947 runs in his International career till date. He needs 53 more runs to become the 11th Australian to complete 12000 runs in Internationals for Australia.