The Proteas cricket team is gearing up to take on Australia in the second ODI at the Wanderers Stadium on Pink Day Sunday. Aiden Markram will be back in pink for the Proteas after a lengthy break due to personal reasons. Markram has not played any cricket since returning from The Hundred in early August and missed the Proteas' tour to Namibia and the series opener against Australia at Kingsmead last Thursday.
Markram's last appearance in the green and gold was in the T20 World Cup semi-final defeat to New Zealand in early March. He expressed his excitement to return to the team, saying it was great to be back and that things are looking better at home. Markram also mentioned that it felt good to return to the Proteas environment and catch up with his teammates.
Pat Cummins, the Australian skipper, will also be making his return to the team after a calculated decision from the Australian team management to manage his game time. Cummins has not played an ODI since facing Pakistan at Adelaide Oval in November 2024, almost two years ago. His absence has been due to the team's focus on the upcoming Test series against the Proteas and the World Test Championship.
The clash at the Bullring is expected to be an exciting one, with both Markram and Cummins looking to make an impact. The two players have enjoyed epic battles over the years, including last year's WTC Final at Lord's, when Cummins claimed six wickets and Markram struck back with a superb second-innings century.
Markram and Cummins have also played together for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, and there is an element of mutual respect between them. Markram praised Cummins, saying he never goes away and keeps running in, making him a formidable opponent.
The Proteas will be hoping to get a solid start with Markram in the batting line-up, although his exact position is still unclear. Coach Shukri Conrad has referred to Markram as "the country's best opener — all formats." The team will look to close out a sixth successive ODI series victory over Australia, who will be without injured wicketkeeper Josh Inglis.
The squads for the 2nd ODI at Wanderers have been announced, with the Proteas team including Temba Bavuma, Corbin Bosch, and Aiden Markram, while Australia will be led by Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins, and Cameron Green. The match is set to start at 10am, and fans can expect an exciting encounter between the two teams.
Key points
- Aiden Markram and Pat Cummins set to make their returns to the Proteas and Australian teams respectively.
- The Proteas will look to close out a sixth successive ODI series victory over Australia.
- The match will be played on Pink Day Sunday at the Wanderers Stadium.
