South Africa national cricket team

South Africa appear in 819 of the men's internationals in the records used here: 193 Tests, 395 One Day Internationals and 231 Twenty20 Internationals. The earliest of them is dated 26 December 2002 and the most recent 9 October 2026.

Of the 766 matches that produced a winner, South Africa won 458 and lost 308, a win rate of 59.8%. Across the 19 national sides on this site that is the 3rd highest overall win rate, although the sides are measured over very different eras and formats.

The latest recorded result is a Test against Australia on 9 October 2026: Australia won by 214 runs.

In Tests, South Africa have played 193 recorded matches, winning 100 and losing 62, with 31 draws. The first of these is dated 26 December 2002 and the last 9 October 2026, a win rate of 61.7% in decided matches. Among the 10 sides with enough Test matches recorded to compare, that is 3rd. Their innings in these matches average 286.5 runs, against 256.9 for opponents. 31 of the 193 Tests ended in a draw.

In One Day Internationals, South Africa have played 395 recorded matches, winning 232 and losing 145, with 3 ties and 15 without a result. The first of these is dated 9 February 2003 and the last 30 September 2026, a win rate of 61.5% in decided matches. Among the 19 sides with enough ODI matches recorded to compare, that is 3rd. Their innings in these matches average 244.1 runs, against 228.5 for opponents. Batting first South Africa have won 123 and lost 67 (64.7%); chasing, 109 won and 78 lost (58.3%).

In Twenty20 Internationals, South Africa have played 231 recorded matches, winning 126 and losing 101, with 1 tie and 3 without a result. The first of these is dated 21 October 2005 and the last 6 September 2026, a win rate of 55.5% in decided matches. Among the 19 sides with enough T20I matches recorded to compare, that is 9th. Their innings in these matches average 154.7 runs, against 152.5 for opponents. Batting first South Africa have won 71 and lost 51 (58.2%); chasing, 55 won and 50 lost (52.4%).

Since the start of 2024 South Africa have played 108 recorded matches across all formats, winning 60 and losing 47. That win rate of 56.1% is below the overall figure of 59.8%.

South Africa's first recorded year is 2002, with 1 match. The busiest calendar year is 2013 with 45 matches, and the year with most wins is 2007, with 29 wins and 14 defeats from 45 matches. The heaviest year for defeats is 2025, with 22.

Year by year, the most recent calendar years read as follows: 2019, 18 won and 14 lost from 34; 2020, 7 won and 11 lost from 19; 2021, 21 won and 16 lost from 39; 2022, 21 won and 17 lost from 41; 2023, 20 won and 15 lost from 36; 2024, 20 won and 18 lost from 39; 2025, 20 won and 22 lost from 42; 2026, 20 won and 7 lost from 27.

Earlier calendar years: 2002, 1-0 from 1; 2003, 12-9 from 25; 2004, 2-7 from 11; 2005, 17-4 from 25; 2006, 19-18 from 38; 2007, 29-14 from 45; 2008, 23-6 from 32; 2009, 20-15 from 36; 2010, 24-9 from 37; 2011, 12-10 from 23; 2012, 21-10 from 38; 2013, 25-17 from 45; 2014, 20-14 from 37; 2015, 22-16 from 41; 2016, 20-11 from 34; 2017, 25-13 from 40; 2018, 19-15 from 34.

By decade the recorded record is 2000s, 123 wins and 73 defeats from 213 matches; 2010s, 206 wins and 129 defeats from 363 matches; 2020s, 129 wins and 106 defeats from 243 matches.

In Tests, South Africa's highest Test total in the records is 651, made against Australia at Newlands on 19 March 2009; the lowest completed innings is 55 against India on 3 January 2024. The widest recorded Test wins are by 492 runs against Australia on 30 March 2018 and by 10 wickets against Sri Lanka on 3 January 2021. The longest run of consecutive recorded wins is 10, between 15 August 2024 and 6 July 2025. The longest losing run is 5, from 26 December 2005 to 31 March 2006.

In One Day Internationals, South Africa's highest ODI total in the records is 439/2, made against West Indies at New Wanderers Stadium on 18 January 2015; the lowest completed innings is 83 against England on 22 July 2022. The widest recorded ODI wins are by 272 runs against Zimbabwe on 22 October 2010 and by 10 wickets against Bangladesh on 15 October 2017. Among individual efforts, the highest individual score is 185 by F du Plessis against Sri Lanka on 7 February 2017 and the best bowling is 7 for 45 by Imran Tahir against West Indies on 15 June 2016. The longest run of consecutive recorded wins is 12, between 25 September 2016 and 19 February 2017. The longest losing run is 6, from 1 February 2004 to 30 January 2005.

In Twenty20 Internationals, South Africa's highest T20I total in the records is 259/4, made against West Indies at SuperSport Park, Centurion on 26 March 2023; the lowest completed innings is 74 against India on 9 December 2025. The widest recorded T20I wins are by 134 runs against Ghana on 17 March 2024 and by 10 wickets against Sri Lanka on 14 September 2021. Among individual efforts, the highest individual score is 125 by D Brevis against Australia on 12 August 2025 and the best bowling is 5 for 17 by D Pretorius against Pakistan on 13 February 2021. The longest run of consecutive recorded wins is 7, between 27 March 2009 and 16 June 2009. The longest losing run is 5, from 26 February 2020 to 11 February 2021.

The leading Test run scorer for South Africa in the records is HM Amla with 9,146 runs from 122 matches at an average of 46.43, ahead of AB de Villiers (8,182) and GC Smith (7,572). The most successful bowler is DW Steyn with 431 wickets at 22.42, followed by K Rabada (340) and M Morkel (309).

The leading ODI run scorer for South Africa in the records is AB de Villiers with 9,324 runs from 218 matches at an average of 54.53, ahead of HM Amla (7,834) and Q de Kock (7,043). The most successful bowler is DW Steyn with 191 wickets at 26.16, followed by M Morkel (179) and Imran Tahir (169).

The leading T20I run scorer for South Africa in the records is Q de Kock with 2,986 runs from 107 matches at an average of 30.78, ahead of DA Miller (2,737) and RR Hendricks (2,475). The most successful bowler is L Ngidi with 87 wickets at 21.15, followed by T Shamsi (86) and K Rabada (78).

In One Day Internationals, South Africa players have passed 100 on 164 occasions and 50 (without reaching 100) on 472 occasions; the most centuries are HM Amla (26), AB de Villiers (25) and Q de Kock (23). A bowler has taken five wickets in an innings 25 times, most often Imran Tahir (3), DW Steyn (3) and L Ngidi (2). The most recorded appearances are AB de Villiers (218), JP Duminy (193), HM Amla (177) and DA Miller (177).

In Twenty20 Internationals, South Africa players have passed 100 on 13 occasions and 50 (without reaching 100) on 159 occasions; the most centuries are DA Miller (2), RR Rossouw (2) and Q de Kock (2). A bowler has taken five wickets in an innings 8 times, most often Imran Tahir (2), D Pretorius (1) and L Ngidi (1). The most recorded appearances are DA Miller (134), Q de Kock (107), RR Hendricks (89) and JP Duminy (79).

In One Day Internationals, the highest total South Africa have chased down is 438, against Australia on 12 March 2006, one of 109 recorded wins batting second; the lowest total they have successfully defended is 173, against Ireland on 24 June 2007, among 123 wins batting first.

In Twenty20 Internationals, the highest total South Africa have chased down is 259, against West Indies on 26 March 2023, one of 55 recorded wins batting second; the lowest total they have successfully defended is 78, against Sri Lanka on 22 September 2012, among 71 wins batting first.

The Tests milestones in the records: match 1 was against Pakistan on 26 December 2002 (South Africa won by 10 wickets); match 10 was against New Zealand on 18 March 2004 (New Zealand won by 9 wickets); match 25 was against New Zealand on 27 April 2006 (Match drawn); match 50 was against Bangladesh on 19 November 2008 (South Africa won by 129 runs); match 100 was against Zimbabwe on 9 August 2014 (South Africa won by 9 wickets).

The One Day Internationals milestones in the records: match 1 was against West Indies on 9 February 2003 (West Indies won by 3 runs); match 10 was against England on 3 July 2003 (South Africa won by 7 wickets); match 25 was against England on 30 January 2005 (England won by 26 runs (D/L method)); match 50 was against Sri Lanka on 7 February 2006 (Sri Lanka won by 76 runs); match 100 was against West Indies on 1 February 2008 (South Africa won by 5 wickets).

The Twenty20 Internationals milestones in the records: match 1 was against New Zealand on 21 October 2005 (New Zealand won by 5 wickets); match 10 was against New Zealand on 23 November 2007 (South Africa won by 3 wickets); match 25 was against England on 15 November 2009 (South Africa won by 84 runs); match 50 was against India on 2 October 2012 (India won by 1 run); match 100 was against India on 24 February 2018 (India won by 7 runs).

The side South Africa have met most often in the records is Australia: 119 matches, 56 won and 59 lost, the latest on 9 October 2026.

Other regular opponents are India (50 won, 60 lost from 118), England (46 won, 50 lost from 109), Pakistan (54 won, 45 lost from 104), New Zealand (44 won, 29 lost from 81) and Sri Lanka (50 won, 28 lost from 81).

Against opponents met at least five times, the strongest record is against Sri Lanka (64.1% of decided matches won) and the weakest against India (45.5%).

Against the other sides met at least three times the recorded results are West Indies (50 won, 24 lost from 81, last met 26 February 2026), Zimbabwe (42 won, 0 lost from 43, last met 6 September 2026), Bangladesh (31 won, 6 lost from 39, last met 29 October 2024), Ireland (14 won, 3 lost from 18, last met 7 October 2024), Netherlands (6 won, 2 lost from 9, last met 8 June 2024) and Namibia (4 won, 2 lost from 6, last met 13 September 2026).

The grounds used most often are SuperSport Park, Centurion (70 matches, 44 won and 23 lost), Newlands, Cape Town (62 matches, 39 won and 18 lost), Kingsmead, Durban (53 matches, 25 won and 22 lost) and New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg (37 matches, 23 won and 13 lost).

Further grounds with the most recorded matches are St George's Park, Port Elizabeth (34, 19-13), The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg (33, 17-16), Kennington Oval, London (16, 4-12) and Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (15, 3-11).

By competition, the largest groups of recorded matches are India tour of South Africa (32 matches, 15 won, 17 lost), Pakistan tour of South Africa (29 matches, 17 won, 12 lost), South Africa tour of India (26 matches, 10 won, 14 lost), Australia tour of South Africa (25 matches, 12 won, 13 lost) and ICC Men's T20 World Cup (25 matches, 19 won, 5 lost).

Smaller groups of matches are ICC Cricket World Cup (24, 16-8), South Africa tour of Pakistan (22, 8-12), England tour of South Africa (20, 9-8), Basil D'Oliveira Trophy (20, 7-8), ICC World Twenty20 (20, 12-8), South Africa tour of England (19, 10-8) and South Africa tour of West Indies (19, 9-8).

Across the last 10 recorded matches, most recent first, the sequence is L L W W W W W W W W (W won, L lost, T tied, D drawn, N no result): 8 wins and 2 defeats.

In order, those matches were Australia on 9 October 2026 (Test, Australia won by 214 runs); Australia on 30 September 2026 (ODI, Australia won by 45 runs (D/L method)); Australia on 27 September 2026 (ODI, South Africa won by 32 runs); Australia on 24 September 2026 (ODI, South Africa won by 67 runs); Namibia on 13 September 2026 (ODI, South Africa won by 9 wickets).

Every count on this page comes from the recorded matches only. For South Africa the earliest dates are Test 2002, ODI 2003 and T20I 2005, so no figure here is an all-time total.

Of the 819 matches counted for South Africa, 458 were won, 308 were lost and 53 ended tied, drawn or without a result; the win rate in the tables leaves that last group out.

South Africa won the toss in 420 of 819 recorded matches (51.3%) and chose to field 192 times and to bat 228 times. They went on to win 232 of the 395 of those matches that produced a winner (58.7%).

South Africa batters hit 22,729 fours and 3,641 sixes in the recorded innings, one boundary every 11.9 balls; 51.4% of the runs came in boundaries.

Batters were dismissed caught 59%, bowled 19%, lbw 12%, run out 5% and caught and bowled 3% of the 6,841 times.

Wickets credited to bowlers fell caught 67%, bowled 17%, lbw 11%, caught and bowled 3% and stumped 2% of the 7,452 times.