Australia and South Africa face off in the 3rd T20I decider at Cairns on 16th August 2025. Get pitch report, probable playing XI, key players, and match prediction for the series finale.
In the first two matches, we got two heroes — Tim David and Dewald Brevis. In the second match, thanks to Dewald Brevis’s brilliant century, the series is now tied at 1-1.
The last match of the series will be played in Cairns on 16th August. Like Darwin, not many matches have been played on this ground, which is why it is currently unknown territory for both teams.
In this T20I series, we have seen that the team hitting the most sixes ends up winning. And I think the same case will apply in Cairns as well.
Playing11 of both Teams:
Australia:
Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Cameron Green, Tim David, Maxwell, Carey, Kuhnemann, Dwarshuis, Ellis/Abbott, Zampa, Hazlewood
South Africa:
Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Lhuandre Pretorius, Brevis, Stubbs, Rassie, Bosch, Peter/Linde, Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Maphaka
Pitch Report:
Talking about the pitch report of the Cairns ground, not many matches have been played here. The last T20 match on this ground was between Melbourne Renegades and Brisbane Heat in BBL 2022–23. In that match, the wicket was slightly on the slower side, giving spinners some grip off the surface. Akeal Hosein picked up 3 wickets in that game. The ground dimensions are medium, but the outfield seemed a bit slow, so we can expect something similar in the 3rd T20I as well.
Weather Forecast:
On 16th August, the weather in Cairns is pleasant with no chances of rain. Since it’s an open ground, there will be some breeze, which means dew is also unlikely to be a major factor.
Injury News from Australia:
Aaron Hardie and Matt Kuhnemann have been added to Australia’s squad for the BKT Tyres ODI series against South Africa.
They replace Mitch Owen (Concussion), Lance Morris (back) and Matt Short (side). Mitch Owen will also not take part in the third T20I at Cairns.
ODI Schedule of the AUS vs SAF Series:
August 19: First ODI, Cazalys Stadium, Cairns, 2:30pm AEST
August 22: Second ODI, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, 2:30pm AEST
August 24: Third ODI, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, 2:30pm AEST
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