South Africa Likely to Play First Two T20Is in August
Darwin is on the brink of hosting international cricket for the first time since 2008, with Cricket Australia planning two T20Is against South Africa in August.
An official announcement on the winter series schedule is expected later this month. South Africa’s tour will include three T20Is and three ODIs, with the tentative plan placing the first two T20Is in Darwin. Cairns is set to host one T20I and an ODI, while Mackay is expected to stage the final two ODIs.
The schedule is yet to be fully confirmed, with the matches at TIO Stadium pending final agreements. However, if approved, it would be a major milestone for Darwin, which last hosted international cricket 17 years ago when Australia played two ODIs against Bangladesh.
Local officials remain optimistic about securing the fixtures.
“I’ve been clear since arriving in 2023 that our goal is to bring international cricket back to the Northern Territory,” said NT Cricket CEO Gavin Dovey. “The last time we hosted was in 2008, and that’s far too long. The game has evolved tremendously since then, as seen with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and cricket’s return to the Olympics in LA 2028.”
If finalized, these matches would mark the first-ever men’s T20Is played in the Northern Territory. Since Darwin’s last international fixture, Australia has hosted 536 men’s and women’s matches across 27 venues.
Darwin has been making strides in late-winter cricket, with the Top End T20 league featuring multiple BBL teams and international sides. The August window could become increasingly attractive for international cricket, with a two-Test series against Bangladesh already scheduled for this period in 2026.
Northern Queensland is expected to host at least one of those Tests, but Darwin could emerge as a potential venue. Hosting white-ball cricket in this window could also help ease scheduling congestion during the Australian summer and avoid overlapping with the BBL.
“We have an incredible winter cricket window that benefits both Australian cricket and the Northern Territory,” Dovey added. “Cricket Australia is keen to utilize this, and the NT Government recognizes the economic and community impact of hosting international stars. Hopefully, we can make this happen—it would be amazing to kick off the international summer here in Darwin.”
