South Africa handed England a drubbing in the first ODI of their three-match series. The Proteas bowled England out for just 131 and then chased the target down in just 20.5 overs to register their second-biggest win over them in ODI cricket.
South Africa mauled England in the first ODI of their three-match series as they registered their second-biggest win (in terms of balls remaining) against the Three Lions. The Proteas chased down the meagre target of 132 in the opening ODI at Headingley, Leeds, with seven wickets in hand and 175 balls to spare.
This is South Africa’s second-biggest win in ODI cricket (in terms of balls left), only behind their ODI World Cup 2007 victory over the Three Lions, when they had chased 155 against them with nine wickets in hand and 184 balls to go.
South Africa’s biggest wins against England in ODIs (balls remaining):
1 – 184 balls, chased 155 in 2007 at Bridgetown
2 – 175 balls, chased 132 in 2025 at Leeds
3 – 127 balls, chased 154 in 2017 at Lord’s
4 – 125 balls, chased 180 in 2025 at Karachi
5 – 93 balls, chased 183 in 2012 at Nottingham
The win was set by the South African bowlers, particularly by Keshav Maharaj and Wiaan Mulder, both of whom shared seven wickets between them. While the hosts were in a decent position at 102/3 with Jamie Smith having scored a strong fifty, they conceded their run and lost the remaining seven wickets for only 29 runs.ย
Maharaj took four wickets, while Mulder struck thrice as the Three Lions got shot out for their second-lowest all-out total ever at Leeds. The 131-all out is second only to the 93-all out they suffered in the 1975 World Cup semifinal against Australia.ย
Meanwhile, the Proteas controlled the chase pretty well. Aiden Markram played a great hand and scored 86 from 55 in a stroke-filled knock. The Proteas could have achieved their first-ever 10-wicket victory over the Three Lions had they not lost a few wickets in the final stages of the chase. They would have become only the second team, apart from India, to have beaten England by 10 wickets in England in ODI cricket.
Aiden Markram was dismissed first as Smith took a wonderful catch at covers off Adil Rashid. Temba Bavuma then lost his wicket as he found wide mid-off against Rashid, before the spinner cleaned Tristan Stubbs. However, the Proteas closed the chase with Dewald Brevis hitting a six down the ground.