The 2025 South Africa tour of England promised plenty of drama, and it delivered, offering everything from batting masterclasses to humiliating collapses, nerve-shredding finishes, and even the weather playing spoilsport.
Over the course of three ODIs and three T20Is, both sides flexed their muscle, but it was South Africa who left the English summer with the bragging rights, clinching the ODI series 2-1 and tying the T20I series 1-1 after rain ruined the decider.
ODI series: South Africa take the honours
The ODI leg kicked off at Headingley on August 19, where England were rocked. Despite Jamie Smith’s promising 54, England folded for just 131 in 24.3 overs.
Keshav Maharaj’s 4/22 and Wiaan Mulder’s 3/33 showcased South Africa’s ruthless efficiency with the ball.
In response, Adil Rashid tried to spin a web with three wickets, but Aiden Markram’s blistering 86 off 55 balls ensured the chase was over in just 20.5 overs.
Three days later, cricket’s most iconic venue, Lord’s, staged a classic. South Africa piled on 330/8, powered by Matthew Breetzke’s composed 85, Tristan Stubbs’ gritty 58 and Markram’s steady 49. Jofra Archer, in a fiery burst, grabbed 4/62 to limit the damage.
England’s chase began poorly, but Joe Root (61), Jacob Bethell (58) and Jos Buttler (61) kept the dream alive of recording Lord’s highest-ever chase. The match hung in the balance until the final overs, but Nandre Burger’s three wickets and Maharaj’s clutch strikes derailed England’s charge. South Africa scraped home by five runs in a thriller, sealing the series with a match to spare.
With the series gone, England sought redemption in Southampton on September 7. What followed was one of their finest ODI batting displays.
Bethell, the young left-hander, stole the spotlight with a sparkling 110, while Root added a masterful hundred of his own. Buttler’s unbeaten 62 propelled England to a mammoth 414/5.
If the batting was destructive, the bowling was ruthless. Archer ripped through the top order with 4/18, Brydon Carse bamboozled the middle order, and Rashid’s 3/13 cleaned up the tail.
South Africa collapsed for just 72, suffering a 342-run defeat, their heaviest in ODI history. England salvaged pride, but the series belonged to the Proteas 2-1.
T20I series: Rain and rampage
The T20 leg began on September 10 with more drama than a cricket fan could ask for in just 7.5 overs. South Africa blazed their way to 97/5 before the heavens opened.
England were set a DLS target of 69 in five overs, but Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, and Kagiso Rabada combined to strangle the hosts. England fell 14 runs short, giving South Africa the early advantage.
If the first game belonged to the bowlers, the second was a festival of batting brilliance. At Old Trafford on September 12, Phil Salt delivered one of the greatest T20I innings ever seen.
His unbeaten 141 off 60 balls, packed with 15 fours and 8 sixes, was destructive yet elegant. Buttler joined the carnage with a 30-ball 83, as England stormed to 304/2.
Chasing a total of that magnitude was always going to be improbable. England’s bowlers, led by Archer and Sam Curran, crushed South Africa’s hopes, sealing a 146-run win.
The finale on September 14 at Trent Bridge was supposed to decide the series, but heavy rain intervened. With the match abandoned, both sides shared the T20I spoils 1-1.
Takeaways from the series
For South Africa, the tour was a story of resilience and rising stars. Maharaj’s control with the ball, Markram’s consistency and Breetzke’s emergence as a dependable top-order option bode well ahead of the Champions Trophy in 2026.
Yet, the Southampton humiliation exposed the team’s fragility under scoreboard pressure—a reminder of the work still to be done.
Image Courtesy: Proteas Men
