The 2025-26 season is shaping up to be a pivotal year for South African cricket, as both men’s and women’s teams gear up for major upcoming tournaments under a lean but strategic schedule.
Notably, the men’s squad will not host any Test matches at home the first time since readmission that South Africa will play no red-ball games on home soil. Instead, their only home series will be a shortened three-match T20I series vs West Indies in late January 2026, ahead of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup.
Meanwhile, the women’s team will host two white-ball tours: a T20I + ODI series against Ireland in December 2025, and another against Pakistan in February–March 2026.
The reduced red-ball schedule also gives space for major stadium upgrades including new floodlights and drop-in pitches as South Africa prepares venues for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
The 2025-26 calendar will therefore include a mix of home and away fixtures across formats, keeping fans engaged while ensuring infrastructure readiness for future global tournaments.
Upcoming South Africa Men’s Cricket Series 2026
This table shows the dates, teams, and venues for the South Africa Men’s 2026 calendar.
| Series / Tour | Opponent | Format | Host Country | Dates | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-off T20I | Namibia national cricket team | T20I | Namibia | 11 Oct 2025 | Namibia won by 4 wickets |
| South Africa Tour of Pakistan 2025–26 | Pakistan national cricket team | 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | Pakistan | 12 Oct – 08 Nov 2025 | Test series drawn 1–1; ODI series lost 2–1; T20I series lost 2–1 |
| South Africa Tour of India 2025–26 | India national cricket team | 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, 5 T20Is | India | 14 Nov – 19 Dec 2025 | Test series lost 0–2; ODI series lost 1–2; T20I series lost 1–3 |
| West Indies Tour of South Africa 2026 | West Indies cricket team | 3 T20Is | South Africa | Jan 27–31, 2026 | Upcoming / Not yet played |
| ICC T20 World Cup 2026 | Multiple Teams | T20 (Tournament) | India & Sri Lanka (co‑hosts) | Feb 9–18, 2026 (Group Stage) | Upcoming / Not yet played |
| South Africa Tour of New Zealand 2026 | New Zealand national cricket team | 5 T20Is | New Zealand | Mar 15–25, 2026 | Upcoming / Not yet played |
1. South Africa Tour of Namibia
Namibia hosted South Africa for the first time ever on 11 October 2025 at the brand‑new FNB Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek, marking a historic moment for African cricket. Namibia won the one-off T20I by 4 wickets, chasing down South Africa’s total of 134/8 with a score of 138/6 in 20 overs.
The stadium, with a capacity of around 7,000, includes a High-Performance Centre, hospitality facilities, and modern infrastructure, and will also host matches in the 2026 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup and the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Match Highlights:
- Namibia achieved a historic first win over South Africa in a T20I.
- South Africa’s top-order struggled against Namibia’s spin attack, restricting their total to 134/8.
- Bowling performances in the death overs secured the victory.
- The match marked the grand inauguration of Namibia’s first international-standard stadium.
2. South Africa Tour of Pakistan
On 12 October – 8 November 2025, Pakistan hosted South Africa for a full tour, including a two-match Test series, three ODIs, and three T20Is.
The Test series was drawn 1–1, with Pakistan winning the first Test at Lahore by 93 runs and South Africa leveling the series in the second Test at Rawalpindi with an 8-wicket victory. In the white-ball matches, Pakistan won both the ODI series 2–1 and the T20I series 2–1, reclaiming home dominance over the Proteas. This tour marked South Africa’s first Test series in Pakistan since 2021.
Match Highlights:
- Pakistan’s batsmen set a challenging total in the first Test, giving the home side the series lead.
- South Africa’s resilient batting in the second Test secured a strong win and drew the series.
- Pakistan’s bowling in ODIs and T20Is, especially in the final overs, proved decisive in close encounters.
- Key players from both sides delivered match-turning performances, making the series competitive and thrilling.
3. South Africa Tour of India
From 14 November to 19 December 2025, the South Africa national cricket team toured India for a full multi-format series against India, with India winning across all three formats.
The tour began with a two‑match Test series: the first Test was held at Eden Gardens, Kolkata (14–18 November), and the second Test marking a historic first for the city was played at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati (22–26 November), the first time that ground hosted a men’s Test match.
Following the Test series, the tour continued with a three‑match ODI series on 30 November (Ranchi), 3 December (Raipur) and 6 December (Visakhapatnam), and a five‑match T20I series across venues including Cuttack, Mullanpur, Dharamsala, Lucknow and Ahmedabad (December 9–19).
Match Highlights:
- South Africa clinched the Test series in dominant fashion they won the first Test at Kolkata by 30 runs, and sealed the second Test at Guwahati with a massive 408‑run victory, thereby sweeping the Test series 2–0.
- The Guwahati Test will be remembered as a landmark moment the first-ever men’s Test on that ground, and a massive win for the Proteas in unfamiliar conditions.
- The tour’s white-ball leg (ODIs and T20Is) followed the Tests, with India securing dominant results across both formats to complete a comprehensive series victory.
4. West Indies Tour of South Africa
West Indies men’s cricket will have five Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) against South Africa. The tour will start from January 27 to February 6, 2026, as a part of South Africa’s home season. This series has a purpose and is more than merely bilateral contests.
In preparation for their participation in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, both sides are taking advantage of this chance to hone their abilities and try out different situations.
5. South Africa of New Zealand
South Africa is scheduled to tour New Zealand in March 2026 for a five‑match T20I series part of New Zealand’s packed 2025–26 home season.
The series will help both teams prepare to find the right combination of players for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which will be held in India and Sri Lanka.
South Africa Women Fixture 2026
The following table shows the teams, dates, and venues for the South Africa Women’s 2026 season.
| Series | Opponent | Format | Host | Dates | Result / Notes (updated) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa Tour of Pakistan | Pakistan | 3 ODI | Pakistan | 12 October – 8 November 2025 | Pakistan won series 2‑1 (1st ODI – PAK won by 2 wkts; 2nd ODI – SA won by 8 wkts; 3rd ODI – PAK won by 7 wkts |
| Women’s ODI World Cup | Various Teams | ODI | India & Sri Lanka | 30 September – 2 November 2025 | India beat South Africa by 52 runs to win the Cup. |
| Ireland Tour of South Africa | Ireland | 3 T20I, 3 ODI | South Africa | 5 December – 19 December 2025 | T20I series won 2–0 (1 match abandoned); ODI series won 3–0 |
| Pakistan Tour of South Africa | Pakistan | 3 T20I, 3 ODI | South Africa | 10 February – 1 March 2026 | Upcoming / Not yet played |
| South Africa Tour of New Zealand | New Zealand | 5 T20I, 3 ODI | New Zealand | 15 March – 25 March 2026 | Upcoming / Not yet played |
| Women’s T20 World Cup | Various Teams | T20I | England | 12 June – 5 July 2026 | Upcoming / Not yet played |
Conclusion: South Africa’s 2026 Cricket Calendar Featured Exciting Tours And Action
The South African men’s cricket team featured a challenging 2026 season with tours to Pakistan and India, where they competed in crucial World Test Championship matches.
Despite tough results away from home, the Proteas showed resilience across all formats. Looking ahead, the team has important home fixtures against West Indies and preparations for the T20 World Cup 2026, where they aim to make a strong impact.
The South African women’s team also has important home and away series scheduled, showcasing their growing strength. Fans can expect an exciting season with both teams delivering competitive cricket across formats.
