South Africa opened their three-match ODI series against Australia with a 67-run win at Kingsmead in Durban on September 24, built around a century from Matthew Breetzke and a four-wicket haul from spinner Keshav Maharaj.
Batting first, South Africa lost Tony de Zorzi and Quinton de Kock cheaply inside the first eight overs, before Breetzke rebuilt the innings and found a launchpad with Marco Jansen, the pair adding 107 runs in 14 overs — Jansen making a rapid 75 off 59 balls while Breetzke went on to 112 off 106. South Africa closed on 297 for 8, with Breetzke named Player of the Match.
Australia's chase looked comfortably on track through Mitchell Marsh's 60, with the total sitting at 90 without loss. From there it fell apart: Keshav Maharaj's 4 for 20, backed by Bjorn Fortuin's 2 for 34, turned the game with a collapse of ten wickets for just 140 runs, and Australia were bowled out for 230.
This result comes at a difficult moment for South Africa's fast-bowling resources, with Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Ottneil Baartman all sidelined through injury heading into the series. That Maharaj, a spinner, was the difference-maker with the ball underlines how South Africa adapted their attack around those absences rather than being undone by them — at least in this first match.
South Africa lead the series 1-0 with the second ODI moving to The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on September 27. Australia, fresh off a Test and white-ball rebuild under a busy travel calendar, will need a response with the bat to avoid an unassailable series deficit heading into the finale.
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Scores and figures are verified against same-day match reports from Kingsmead, Durban, current as of September 25, 2026.
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