David Miller celebrates his half-century•Sep 27, 2026•AFP/Getty Images
Miller’s career-best 142 and Bavuma’s hundred hand the Proteas an unbeatable 2-0 lead over Australia.
Johannesburg, 27 September 2026 – The Proteas have won their three-match One-Day International series against Australia with a game to spare. They beat the visitors by 32 runs in front of a big, pink-clad crowd at the DP World Wanderers Stadium on Sunday, which gives them an unbeatable 2-0 lead ahead of Wednesday’s final match in Potchefstroom.
The day belonged to two batters. David Miller scored 142 from 93 balls, with 12 fours and nine sixes. That is the highest score of his ODI career, beating the 139 he made against Australia in Hobart in 2018. Captain Temba Bavuma made a composed 103 from 116 deliveries. After being sent in to bat, South Africa finished on 365 for nine.
Early on, the innings could have gone either way. Aiden Markram was out to the first ball he faced on his international comeback, and Josh Hazlewood removed Quinton de Kock soon afterwards. Matthew Breetzke played some fluent strokes for his 34 before being caught behind off Jack Edwards, and the Proteas were 93 for three in the 16th over.
Bavuma and Miller then took control. They added 156 for the fourth wicket from 132 balls, with Bavuma holding one end while Miller took on the bowlers. Edwards had Bavuma caught in the 38th over, and the crowd stood to applaud him off. Miller carried on and reached his hundred from 73 balls. It was his eighth ODI century batting at number five or lower, which equals Jos Buttler’s world record for that position, and his fourth ODI hundred against Australia. Miller was named Player of the Match.
The innings also carried a personal meaning. As part of the “I Pitch Up in Pink For You” campaign, the Proteas replaced their own names on their shirts with those of breast cancer fighters and survivors. Miller wore the name of his mother, Jenny, who is a breast cancer survivor. When he reached his hundred, he gestured to her and blew a kiss.
The Proteas scored exactly 100 runs in their last 10 overs, with Marco Jansen and Duan Jansen adding late runs. Edwards took his first ODI five-wicket haul, finishing with 5 for 67, and Hazlewood took three wickets.
Australia made a strong reply. Mitchell Marsh hit 84 from 53 balls and Travis Head made 84 from 76, and the openers put on 99 without loss in the first 14 overs. Markram then had Head lbw, and South Africa kept taking wickets from there. Keshav Maharaj trapped Alex Carey and Matt Renshaw lbw, Bjorn Fortuin bowled Marsh and later removed Cameron Green, and Lizaad Williams and Marco Jansen both struck. Xavier Bartlett hit 50 from 28 balls late in the innings, but Australia finished on 333 for nine.
The result follows a 67-run win at Kingsmead on Heritage Day. In that match the Proteas were without Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman and Kwena Maphaka. Breetzke made a century, and Maharaj took 4 for 20 as Australia went from 129 for one to 230 all out.
The Pink Day fixture has been held every year since 2013 to raise awareness of breast cancer and money for the Breast Care Unit at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. The Proteas won the first six Pink ODIs, and Sunday’s win adds to a strong record in the fixture.
The third and final ODI takes place at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom, on Wednesday 30 September. The Proteas will be aiming for a clean sweep before the Test series begins.
