Australia in unfamiliar territory in T20I series decider against South Africa

Australia venture into the unknown in more ways than one today. While South Africa played in a T20I series decider just three weeks ago in Harare. Australia have not played in a live T20I series decider since September 2022. They were set to do so in the final match of a three-game series in England last year but rain prevented a ball being bowled with the series locked at 1-1. Other than that, Australia have clean swept the three other series they have played since the 2024 World Cup, where they didn't make the semifinals. Every series they played between the 2022 World Cup, where they also did not make the semifinals, and 2024 was also decided before the final game.

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It will be a useful pressure test for both sides as they continue to gear up towards the 2026 T20 World Cup. They will also face unknown conditions at Cazaly's Stadium in Cairns in far north Queensland. Just as Darwin had never hosted a T20I before this series, Cairns will host its first on Saturday night. It has hosted far more recent international cricket, though, with Australia playing three ODIs there in 2022, which will be relevant for the start of the ODI series on Tuesday. There has been a BBL game there, in2022, but it was played at a different time of year. However, Australia left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann is the only member of either team to have played in that game. He took 3 for 32 for Brisbane Heat while fellow left-arm orthodox spinner Akeal Hosein took 3 for 15 from four overs for Melbourne Renegades, having opened the bowling