South Africa national cricket team
Updated: 5/24/2026, 7:33:26 PM Wikipedia source
The South Africa men's national cricket team, also known as the Proteas, represents South Africa in men's international cricket and is administered by Cricket South Africa. South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council. The team's nickname derives from South Africa's national flower, Protea cynaroides, commonly known as the "King Protea". South Africa are the current World Test Champions. South Africa entered first-class and international cricket at the same time when they hosted an England cricket team in the 1888–89 season. Initially, the team was no match for Australia or England but, having gained experience and expertise, they were able to field a competitive team by the first decade of the 20th century. The team regularly played against Australia, England and New Zealand through to the 1960s, by which time there was considerable opposition to the country's apartheid policy. The ICC imposed an international ban on the team, commensurate with actions taken by other global sporting bodies. When the ban was imposed, South Africa had developed to a point where its team was arguably the best in the world, and even out-played Australia. The ban remained in place until 1991, after which South Africa played against India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the West Indies for the first time. The team has been strong since its reinstatement, and has at several times held the number-one positions in international rankings. South Africa is also one of the most successful teams in ODI cricket, winning more than 60 per cent of their matches. However, the 1998 Champions Trophy was its first success in ICC-organised limited-overs tournaments. South Africa won the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 1998. South Africa won the 2023–2025 ICC World Test Championship, beating Australia by 5 wickets in the final.
Infobox
Tables
| Champions | |
| Runners-up | |
| Semi-finals |
| Year | League stage | Final Host | Final | Final Position | |||||||||
| Pos | Matches | Ded | PC | Pts | PCT | ||||||||
| P | W | L | D | T | |||||||||
| 2019–21 | 5/9 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 600 | 264 | 44 | Rose Bowl, England | ||
| 2021–23 | 3/9 | 15 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 180 | 100 | 55 | The Oval, England | ||
| 2023–25 | 1/9 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 144 | 100 | 69 | Lord's, England | ||
| World Cup record | ||||||||
| Host and Year | Round | Position | P | W | L | T | NR | Squad |
| 1975 | Not eligible, South Africa were banned due to apartheid | |||||||
| 1979 | ||||||||
| 1983 | ||||||||
| 1987 | ||||||||
| 1992 | Semi-finals | 4/9 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 1996 | Quarter-final | 5/12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 1999 | Semi-finals | 3/12 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Squad |
| 2003 | Group stage | 9/14 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | Squad |
| 2007 | Semi-finals | 4/16 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2011 | Quarter-final | 5/14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2015 | Semi-finals | 4/14 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2019 | Group stage | 7/10 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | Squad |
| 2023 | Semi-finals | 3/10 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2027 | Qualified as co-hosts | |||||||
| 2031 | TBD | |||||||
| Total | 0 Titles | - | 74 | 45 | 26 | 1 | 2 | - |
| T20 World Cup record | ||||||||
| Host and Year | Round | Position | P | W | L | T | NR | Squad |
| 2007 | Super 8s | 5/12 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2009 | Semi-finals | 3/12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2010 | Super 8s | 7/12 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2012 | Super 8s | 8/12 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2014 | Semi-finals | 4/16 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2016 | Super 10s | 5/16 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2021 | Super 12s | 5/16 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2022 | Super 12s | 6/16 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Squad |
| 2024 | Runners-up | 2/20 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2026 | Semi-finals | 3/20 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Squad |
| 2028 | TBD | |||||||
| 2030 | ||||||||
| Total | 0 Titles | - | 49 | 32 | 16 | 0 | 1 | - |
| Champions Trophy record | ||||||||
| Host and Year | Round | Position | P | W | L | T | NR | Squad |
| 1998 | Champions | 1/9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2000 | Semi-finals | 4/11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2002 | Semi-finals | 4/12 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2004 | Group stage | 6/12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2006 | Semi-finals | 3/12 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2009 | Group stage | 7/8 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2013 | Semi-final | 4/8 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Squad |
| 2017 | Group stage | 5/8 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Squad |
| 2025 | Semi-final | 3/8 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Squad |
| 2029 | TBD | |||||||
| Total | 1 Titles | - | 28 | 14 | 12 | 1 | 1 | - |
References
- "ICC Rankings"https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings
- ESPNcricinfohttps://www.espncricinfo.com/records/results-summary-283877
- ESPNcricinfohttps://www.espncricinfo.com/records/year/team-results-summary/2026-2026/test-matches-1
- ESPNcricinfohttps://www.espncricinfo.com/records/results-summary-283878
- ESPNcricinfohttps://www.espncricinfo.com/records/year/team-results-summary/2026-2026/one-day-internationals-2
- ESPNcricinfohttps://www.espncricinfo.com/records/results-summary-283307
- ESPNcricinfohttps://www.espncricinfo.com/records/year/team-results-summary/2026-2026/twenty20-internationals-3
- "Records; One-Day Internationals; ESPN Cricinfo"http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283878.html
- The Commonwealth Games Experience by Shaun Pollock ESPN Cricinfohttp://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/77653.html
- History of South African sport – Cricket BleacherReport. 9 November 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2017.https://bleacherreport.com/articles/79768-history-of-south-african-sport-vi-cricket
- South Africa's debut Test match 1889 scorecard ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 17 June 2017.http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/62426.html
- "Coverdrive: Owen Dunell, South Africa's first skipper"http://coverdrive.co.za/2017/08/23/owen-dunnell-south-africas-first-skipper/
- The ignorant internationals Archived 15 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine Martin Williamson, ESPNcricinfo. 28 November 200http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/436989.html
- South Africa beat England in a thriller to achieve their maiden Test win Archived 20 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine Crihttp://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/south-africa-beat-england-in-a-thriller-to-achieve-their-maiden-test-win-86197
- England vs South Africa 1st Test 1895–96 Scorecard Archived 2 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine CricketArchive. Retrhttp://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/4/4478.html
- England vs South Africa 2nd Test 1895–96 Scorecard Archived 20 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine CricketArchive. Retrievedhttp://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/4/4485.html
- England vs South Africa 3rd Test 1895–96 Scorecard Archived 20 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine CricketArchive. Retrievedhttp://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/4/4488.html
- Aubrey Faulkner: The first of the great South African all-rounders Archived 9 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine Crichttp://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/aubrey-faulkner-the-first-of-the-great-south-african-all-rounders-76039
- Wisden Anthology 1900–1940
- South Africa vs England 1st Test Scorecard 1909–10 Archived 13 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine CricketArchive. Rethttps://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/8/8050.html