Cairns, Australia — South Africa’s ODI lineup is getting a youthful injection as 19-year-old pace prodigy Kwena Maphaka joins the squad for the upcoming three-match series against Australia. Fresh off a dominant T20I performance—where he claimed nine wickets to top the charts—Maphaka’s inclusion signals a bold shift toward next-gen talent.

But all eyes are on Dewald Brevis, the 22-year-old batting dynamo who dazzled in the T20Is with a blistering 180 runs at an average of 90 and a strike rate north of 200. His ODI debut now seems imminent, with captain Temba Bavuma praising Brevis for “putting up his hand and showing what he’s capable of.”

Bavuma himself returns to competitive action for the first time since leading South Africa to their historic ICC World Test Championship win in June. He confirmed he’ll bat at No.3, flanked by openers Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram.

Australia, meanwhile, welcomes back Marnus Labuschagne and hands the captaincy reins to Mitch Marsh in Pat Cummins’ absence. Marsh, who steered Australia to a 2–1 T20I series win, expects a “mindset shift” as the format changes but remains confident in his squad’s adaptability.