England vs South Africa Head-to-Head Records
England vs South Africa is one of international cricket’s oldest and most competitive rivalries. Their Test history stretches back to 1889, while their white-ball contests have produced World Cup drama, high-scoring bilateral series and several unforgettable individual performances. Through October 2026, England lead the Test head-to-head 66-35 from 156 matches, South Africa lead the ODI record 37-31 from 74 games, and South Africa also hold a narrow 14-13 advantage in T20Is from 28 matches. The rivalry has featured generations of elite players, from Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn to Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer and Kagiso Rabada.
England vs South Africa Head-to-Head Record
| Format | Matches | England Wins | South Africa Wins | Draw/Tie/No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 156 | 66 | 35 | 55 draws |
| ODI | 74 | 31 | 37 | 1 tie, 5 no results |
| T20I | 28 | 13 | 14 | 1 no result |
England have the stronger historical record in Test cricket, while South Africa hold a narrow advantage in both ODI and T20I cricket. The white-ball rivalry has remained competitive into the modern era, including the 2025 ODI and T20I series in England.
The 1992 World Cup Semifinal
One of the most controversial matches in World Cup history came when England and South Africa met in the 1992 semifinal at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
England scored 252/6 from 45 overs, with Graeme Hick making 83.
South Africa were still in contention late in the chase. They required 22 runs from 13 balls when rain interrupted play.
The tournament used the old Most Productive Overs rain rule rather than the modern Duckworth-Lewis-Stern system.
After the delay, South Africa’s requirement was reduced to an impossible 21 runs from one ball.
They finished on 232/6, and England were officially declared 19-run winners.
The finish became one of the main examples used when cricket officials searched for a fairer way to calculate revised targets in rain-affected matches.
England advanced to the final, where Pakistan defeated them at Melbourne.
1999 World Cup Meeting
England and South Africa met again at the 1999 World Cup at The Oval.
South Africa batted first and scored 225/7.
Herschelle Gibbs made 60, Gary Kirsten scored 45 and Lance Klusener finished unbeaten on 48.
England’s chase collapsed badly.
They were dismissed for 103, giving South Africa a 122-run victory.
Klusener was named Player of the Match after his all-round contribution.
The match reflected the strength of South Africa’s late-1990s ODI side, which combined powerful batting with a high-quality pace attack led by Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock.
The Famous 438 Chase at Johannesburg in 2006
The famous 438-run chase at Johannesburg in March 2006 did not involve England.
It was South Africa against Australia.
Australia scored 434/4, which was then the highest ODI total in history.
South Africa responded by reaching 438/9 and winning by one wicket, with Herschelle Gibbs scoring 175.
The match remains one of the most famous ODIs ever played, but it should not be included as an England vs South Africa head-to-head result.
England and South Africa have still produced many huge ODI totals of their own.
South Africa scored 399/7 against England at the 2023 World Cup, while England later made 414/5 against South Africa in Southampton in September 2025.
2019 World Cup Opening Match
England and South Africa opened the 2019 ODI World Cup at The Oval.
England, playing at home as tournament favorites, made 311/8.
Ben Stokes scored 89, while Eoin Morgan added 57. Jason Roy and Joe Root both made 54 and 51 respectively.
South Africa never fully recovered from Jofra Archer’s early spell.
Archer took 3/27 and regularly bowled above 90 mph.
Quinton de Kock scored 68 and Rassie van der Dussen made 50, but South Africa were bowled out for 207.
England won by 104 runs.
The game also included one of the most memorable catches of the tournament when Stokes took a spectacular one-handed boundary catch to dismiss Andile Phehlukwayo.
England later went on to win their first Men’s ODI World Cup.
2023 World Cup Meeting in Mumbai
The 2023 World Cup meeting at Wankhede Stadium produced one of South Africa’s most dominant victories over England.
South Africa scored 399/7.
Heinrich Klaasen played a brutal innings of 109 from only 67 balls despite struggling badly with the Mumbai heat.
Marco Jansen added an unbeaten 75 from 42 deliveries, while Reeza Hendricks scored 85 and Rassie van der Dussen made 60.
England were then demolished for 170 in only 22 overs.
Gerald Coetzee took 3/35, while Lungi Ngidi and Jansen claimed two wickets each.
South Africa won by 229 runs, which became England’s heaviest ODI defeat at the time.
The result was particularly damaging because England entered the tournament as defending champions but struggled badly during their title defence.
2024 T20 World Cup Meeting
England and South Africa did not meet in the 2024 T20 World Cup semifinal.
Their match came in the Super Eight stage at Gros Islet in Saint Lucia.
South Africa scored 163/6.
Quinton de Kock attacked England early and made 65 from 38 balls.
England responded with 156/6.
Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone kept the chase alive, but South Africa held their nerve in the closing overs.
South Africa won by seven runs, with de Kock named Player of the Match.
Both teams eventually reached the semifinals.
South Africa defeated Afghanistan to reach the final, while England lost to India.
India then beat South Africa in the final.
Joe Root vs South Africa
Joe Root has one of the strongest modern England batting records against South Africa.
In Tests, he has scored 1,210 runs from 15 matches, including two centuries, with a highest score of 190.
In ODIs, Root has been even more productive, scoring 893 runs at an average just under 50, including three hundreds.
Root’s ability to play both pace and spin makes him particularly effective against South African attacks.
He was also part of England’s successful 2019 World Cup opener, contributing 51.
Jos Buttler vs South Africa
Jos Buttler has faced South Africa throughout England’s white-ball transformation.
His biggest strengths against them have come through aggressive middle-order batting and wicketkeeping.
Buttler has often been asked to counter South Africa’s pace attack during the final 15 overs, when bowlers such as Rabada and Ngidi are at their most dangerous.
His ability to attack yorkers and slower balls has made him one of England’s most important limited-overs players in this matchup.
He also captained England during the 2023 World Cup defeat in Mumbai and the 2024 T20 World Cup Super Eight match.
Ben Stokes vs South Africa
Ben Stokes has produced major performances against South Africa in both Tests and ODIs.
He has scored 1,177 Test runs against them, including four centuries, with a highest score of 258.
In ODIs, he has scored 361 runs at an average above 40, including a century.
His most famous white-ball contribution came in the 2019 World Cup opener.
Stokes scored 89 and took a spectacular boundary catch as England won by 104 runs.
He has also been a major Test opponent for South Africa, combining aggressive batting with important spells of seam bowling.
Jofra Archer vs South Africa
Jofra Archer has produced one of the best ODI bowling performances in the entire England-South Africa rivalry.
In Kimberley in 2023, he took 6/40 from 9.1 overs.
Those figures are the best by any bowler in an ODI between the teams.
Archer had already made a major impact against South Africa at the 2019 World Cup, when his 3/27 helped bowl them out for 207.
His pace and ability to use the short ball have repeatedly caused problems for South Africa’s top order.
AB de Villiers vs England
AB de Villiers was one of South Africa’s most dangerous batters against England.
He scored 1,393 Test runs in 20 matches, including two centuries.
In ODIs, he made 862 runs at an average of 37.48, with two centuries and a highest score of 121.
In T20Is, de Villiers scored 390 runs at a strike rate above 160.
His ability to attack all areas of the field made him difficult to contain even when England bowled accurately.
Hashim Amla vs England
Hashim Amla produced some of the biggest innings in the history of this rivalry.
He scored 1,903 Test runs against England at an average of 52.86, including six centuries.
His greatest innings was 311 not out at The Oval in 2012.
That remains the highest individual Test score in England vs South Africa matches.
In ODIs, Amla scored 976 runs against England at an average above 51.
His highest ODI score in the rivalry was 150 at Southampton in 2012, which is also the highest individual ODI score in the head-to-head.
Kagiso Rabada vs England
Kagiso Rabada has produced some of his finest Test bowling against England.
His standout performance came at Centurion in the 2015-16 series, when he took 13/144 in the match.
That remains the best match bowling performance in the Test history between England and South Africa.
Rabada has been equally important in white-ball cricket because he can bowl with the new ball, through the middle overs and at the death.
His pace and hard lengths have made him one of South Africa’s central players against England across formats.
Dale Steyn vs England
Dale Steyn was one of the defining fast bowlers of the Test rivalry during the 2000s and 2010s.
He took 50 Test wickets against England from 12 matches in the available record, at a bowling average of 31.62.
His ability to swing the new ball at high pace was especially dangerous in English conditions.
Steyn’s battles with England’s top order formed an important part of several highly competitive Test series during his career.
Best Batting Performances
| Player | Score | Format | Venue/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hashim Amla | 311* | Test | The Oval, 2012 |
| Graeme Smith | 277 | Test | Birmingham, 2003 |
| Ben Stokes | 258 | Test | Cape Town, 2016 |
| Hashim Amla | 150 | ODI | Southampton, 2012 |
| Graeme Smith | 141 | ODI | Centurion, 2009 |
| Quinton de Kock | 138* | ODI | Bloemfontein, 2016 |
| Rassie van der Dussen | 134 | ODI | Chester-le-Street, 2022 |
| Heinrich Klaasen | 109 | ODI | World Cup, Mumbai, 2023 |
Amla’s 311 not out is the highest Test score in the rivalry, while his 150 is also the highest individual ODI score between the two teams.
Best Bowling Performances
| Bowler | Figures/Performance | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Hugh Tayfield | 9/113 | Test |
| Kagiso Rabada | 13/144 match | Test |
| Jofra Archer | 6/40 | ODI |
| Andrew Hall | 5/18 | ODI |
| Shaun Pollock | 5/20 | ODI |
| Stuart Broad | 5/23 | ODI |
| James Anderson | 5/23 | ODI |
Hugh Tayfield’s 9/113 remains the best innings bowling analysis in the Test rivalry.
Rabada’s 13/144 is the best match haul, while Archer’s 6/40 is the best ODI bowling performance between England and South Africa.
Recent Head-to-Head Trends
The recent white-ball rivalry remains highly competitive.
South Africa won the first two ODIs of their 2025 series in England before England responded with a massive 342-run victory in the third match, scoring 414/5 and bowling South Africa out for 72.
South Africa therefore won the series 2-1.
The T20I series was also split across extremes.
South Africa won the first match by 14 runs under DLS, while England won the second by 146 runs after posting 304/2, their highest T20I score against South Africa.
The third match was abandoned without a ball bowled.
These recent results show how quickly momentum can change in the modern England-South Africa rivalry.
Conclusion
England vs South Africa remains one of international cricket’s most balanced multi-format rivalries.
England lead the Test record 66-35 from 156 matches, with 55 draws. South Africa lead the ODI head-to-head 37-31 from 74 games, while South Africa also lead T20Is 14-13 from 28 matches.
The rivalry has produced several historic tournament matches.
The controversial 1992 World Cup semifinal remains famous because of the old rain rule, while South Africa dominated the 1999 World Cup meeting and England answered strongly in the opening match of the 2019 tournament.
South Africa’s 229-run victory in Mumbai in 2023 was one of their most powerful World Cup performances, while their seven-run T20 World Cup win in 2024 showed how competitive the shorter-format rivalry remains.
The famous Johannesburg 438 chase belongs to South Africa vs Australia rather than this matchup, but England and South Africa have produced plenty of remarkable batting and bowling records of their own.
Amla’s 311*, Stokes’ 258, Archer’s 6/40 and Rabada’s 13-wicket match haul are among the individual performances that have shaped this long and highly competitive rivalry.
FAQs
How many Tests have England and South Africa played?
England and South Africa have played 156 Tests.
Who leads the England vs South Africa Test head-to-head?
England lead 66-35, with 55 matches drawn.
How many ODIs have England and South Africa played?
They have played 74 ODIs.
Who leads the ODI head-to-head?
South Africa lead 37-31, with one tie and five no-results.
How many T20Is have England and South Africa played?
They have played 28 T20Is.
Who leads the T20I record?
South Africa lead 14-13, with one no-result.
Who won the 1992 World Cup semifinal?
England won by 19 runs after the controversial rain-rule adjustment.
What happened with the rain rule in 1992?
South Africa went from needing 22 runs from 13 balls to needing 21 from one ball after a rain interruption under the old Most Productive Overs method.
Who won the 1999 World Cup meeting?
South Africa won by 122 runs at The Oval.
Was the famous 438 chase against England?
No. South Africa chased 435 against Australia at Johannesburg in 2006, finishing on 438/9.
Who won the 2019 World Cup opener?
England won by 104 runs at The Oval. Ben Stokes scored 89 and Jofra Archer took 3/27.
Who won the 2023 World Cup match in Mumbai?
South Africa won by 229 runs after scoring 399/7.
How many runs did Heinrich Klaasen score against England in the 2023 World Cup?
Klaasen scored 109 from 67 balls.
Did England and South Africa meet in the 2024 T20 World Cup semifinal?
No. They met in the Super Eight stage.
Who won that 2024 T20 World Cup match?
South Africa won by seven runs after scoring 163/6.
Who has the highest Test score in England vs South Africa matches?
Hashim Amla holds the record with 311 not out at The Oval in 2012.
What are the best ODI bowling figures in this rivalry?
Jofra Archer took 6/40 in Kimberley in 2023.
What is Kagiso Rabada’s best Test match performance against England?
Rabada took 13/144 at Centurion in 2015-16.
How many Test runs has Joe Root scored against South Africa?
Root has scored 1,210 Test runs against South Africa.
What is Ben Stokes’ highest Test score against South Africa?
Stokes scored 258 at Cape Town in 2016.