# English cricket team in South Africa in 2020–21

The England cricket team toured South Africa during November and December 2020 to play three One Day International (ODI) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches. However, the ODI matches were called off due to a COVID-19 outbreak. The ODI series would have formed part of the inaugural 2020–2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the England team stayed in a bio-secure environment whilst in South Africa, with the matches played in Cape Town and Paarl. In October 2020, Cricket South Africa (CSA) made a plea to its parliament, saying that is of "critical importance", while waiting on government approval for the tour to go ahead. On 21 October 2020, both cricket boards agreed to the series, with the full tour itinerary being confirmed.
England won the first two T20I matches to take an unassailable lead in the series. England won the third match by nine wickets to take the series 3–0, with the victory putting England at the top of the ICC T20I Championship.
The first ODI match, originally scheduled to be played on 4 December, was cancelled less than an hour before it was due to start, after a South African player tested positive for coronavirus. As a result, the fixture was moved back by two days. However, on 6 December, the rescheduled match was abandoned after two members of the hotel staff tested positive for coronavirus. Shortly after the match was called off, two members of England's touring party returned "unconfirmed positive tests" for the virus. Later the same day, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed that the second ODI, scheduled for 7 December, would not be played on that date. On 7 December, the remainder of the ODI series was postponed. Both cricket boards agreed to work on hosting the ODI series at another time.

## Squads

| ODIs | ODIs | T20Is | T20Is |
| South Africa | England | South Africa | England |
| Faf du Plessis(c) Temba Bavuma Junior Dala Quinton de Kock Bjorn Fortuin Beuran Hendricks Reeza Hendricks Heinrich Klaasen George Linde Keshav Maharaj Janneman Malan David Miller Lungi Ngidi Anrich Nortje Andile Phehlukwayo Dwaine Pretorius Kagiso Rabada Tabraiz Shamsi Lutho Sipamla JJ Smuts Glenton Stuurman Pite van Biljon Rassie van der Dussen Kyle Verreynne | Eoin Morgan (c) Moeen Ali Jonny Bairstow Sam Billings Jos Buttler (wk) Tom Curran Lewis Gregory Liam Livingstone Adil Rashid Joe Root Jason Roy Olly Stone Reece Topley Chris Woakes Mark Wood | Faf du Plessis[c) Temba Bavuma Junior Dala Quinton de Kock Bjorn Fortuin Beuran Hendricks Reeza Hendricks Heinrich Klaasen George Linde Keshav Maharaj Janneman Malan David Miller Lungi Ngidi Anrich Nortje Andile Phehlukwayo Dwaine Pretorius Kagiso Rabada Tabraiz Shamsi Lutho Sipamla JJ Smuts Glenton Stuurman Pite van Biljon Rassie van der Dussen Kyle Verreynne | Eoin Morgan (c) Moeen Ali Jofra Archer Jonny Bairstow Sam Billings Jos Buttler (wk) Sam Curran Tom Curran Chris Jordan Dawid Malan Adil Rashid Jason Roy Ben Stokes Reece Topley Mark Wood |
Jake Ball, Tom Banton, Tom Helm were also named as reserves for England across both formats. Kagiso Rabada was ruled out of South Africa's ODI squad after picking up a groin injury during the T20I series. South Africa also rested Faf du Plessis, Pite van Biljon, Bjorn Fortuin and Reeza Hendricks for the ODI series.

## Practice matches

A South Africa intra-squad warm-up match, due to take place on 21 November, was cancelled after two players tested positive for coronavirus. A second match, scheduled to be played on 23 November, was also cancelled in an attempt to limit the impact of any possible infections. Conversely, England played one 40-over intra-squad match and one 20-over intra-squad match, with Jos Buttler and Eoin Morgan named as the team captains.
* 21 November 2020 10:00 Scorecard
| Team Buttler 255 (39.1 overs) | v | Team Morgan 205 (35.5 overs) |
| Joe Root 77 (77) Tom Curran 4/25 (6.1 overs) | | Chris Woakes 55 (41) Lewis Gregory 3/18 (3.5 overs) |
* Team Buttler won by 50 runs Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town Umpires: Shaun George (SA) and Allahudien Paleker (SA)
* Team Buttler won the toss and elected to bat.
* 23 November 2020 17:00 (D/N) Scorecard
| Team Morgan 139/9 (20 overs) | v | Team Buttler 141/4 (12.4 overs) |
| Moeen Ali 41 (40) Olly Stone 3/12 (2 overs) | | Sam Curran 45* (18) Tom Curran 2/14 (2 overs) |
* Team Buttler won by 6 wickets Boland Park, Paarl Umpires: Shaun George (SA) and Allahudien Paleker (SA)
* Team Morgan won the toss and elected to bat.

## T20I series
### 1st T20I

* 27 November 2020 18:00 (N) Scorecard
| South Africa 179/6 (20 overs) | v | England 183/5 (19.2 overs) |
| Faf du Plessis 58 (40) Sam Curran 3/28 (4 overs) | | Jonny Bairstow 86* (48) George Linde 2/20 (4 overs) |
* England won by 5 wickets Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town Umpires: Adrian Holdstock (SA) and Allahudien Paleker (SA) Player of the match: Jonny Bairstow (Eng)
* England won the toss and elected to field.
* George Linde (SA) made his T20I debut.

### 2nd T20I

* 29 November 2020 14:30 Scorecard
| South Africa 146/6 (20 overs) | v | England 147/6 (19.5 overs) |
| Quinton de Kock 30 (18) Adil Rashid 2/23 (4 overs) | | Dawid Malan 55 (40) Tabraiz Shamsi 3/19 (4 overs) |
* England won by 4 wickets Boland Park, Paarl Umpires: Shaun George (SA) and Adrian Holdstock (SA) Player of the match: Dawid Malan (Eng)
* England won the toss and elected to field.
* This was the first T20I match to be played at this venue.
* Adil Rashid (Eng) took his 50th wicket in T20Is.

### 3rd T20I

* 1 December 2020 18:00 (N) Scorecard
| South Africa 191/3 (20 overs) | v | England 192/1 (17.4 overs) |
| Rassie van der Dussen 74* (32) Ben Stokes 2/26 (3 overs) | | Dawid Malan 99* (47) Anrich Nortje 1/37 (4 overs) |
* England won by 9 wickets Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town Umpires: Bongani Jele (SA) and Allahudien Paleker (SA) Player of the match: Dawid Malan (Eng)
* South Africa won the toss and elected to bat.
* Chris Jordan became the leading wicket-taker for England in T20Is, taking his 66th dismissal.
* Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan (Eng) made the highest partnership for the 2nd wicket in T20Is with 167 runs.

## ODI series
### 1st ODI

* 6 December 2020 10:00 Scorecard
| South Africa | v | England |
* Match postponed Boland Park, Paarl Umpires: Marais Erasmus (SA) and Allahudien Paleker (SA)

### 2nd ODI

* 7 December 2020 13:00 (D/N) Scorecard
| South Africa | v | England |
* Match postponed Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town Umpires: Marais Erasmus (SA) and Allahudien Paleker (SA)

### 3rd ODI

* 9 December 2020 13:00 (D/N) Scorecard
| South Africa | v | England |
* Match postponed Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town Umpires: Marais Erasmus (SA) and Bongani Jele (SA)