Proteas captain Quinton de Kock won the toss and opted to bat first in Sunday’s third and final T20I against England at SuperSport Park in Centurion.
Fast bowler Dale Steyn returned to the Proteas XI at the expense of left-arm seamer Beuran Hendricks. Batsman Heinrich Klaasen replaced all-rounder Jon-Jon Smuts.
South Africa won the first T20I at Buffalo Park in East London by one run. England won the second at Kingsmead in Durban by two runs.
‘I wish it was a dead rubber on Sunday. But both teams have played really well. They won one or two small battles in key moments that helped them get over the line in Durban. It’s great to see both teams are playing good cricket and keeping it competitive out there,’ said De Kock.
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England retained opener Jos Buttler – and replaced the ill Joe Denly with batsman Dawid Malan.
‘Jos is one of our greatest white-ball cricketers, as a batsman, never mind with the gloves. We believe him,’ added England captain Eoin Morgan.
The Proteas and English last contested a T20I at this venue over 10 years ago. The hosts that 2009 fixture comfortably on the back of a 170-run partnership between openers Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman.
South Africa will host Australia for three T20Is and as many ODIs later this month.
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South Africa: Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Dale Steyn, Bjorn Fortuin, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi.
England: Jason Roy, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan, Tom Curran, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.
Photo: Gallo Images
