| English cricket team in South Africa in 2020–21 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |  | ||
| South Africa | England | ||
| Dates | 27 November – 9 December 2020 | ||
| Captains | Quinton de Kock | Eoin Morgan | |
| One Day International series | |||
| Twenty20 International series | |||
| Results | England won the 3-match series 3–0 | ||
| Most runs | Rassie van der Dussen (136) | Dawid Malan (173) | |
| Most wickets | Lungi Ngidi (4) Tabraiz Shamsi (4) | Sam Curran (3) Chris Jordan (3) | |
| Player of the series | Dawid Malan (Eng) | ||
TheEngland cricket team toured South Africa during November and December 2020 to play threeOne Day International (ODI) and threeTwenty20 International (T20I) matches.[1][2] However, the ODI matches were called off due to aCOVID-19 outbreak.[3] The ODI series would have formed part of the inaugural2020–2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League.[4][5]
Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the England team stayed in a bio-secure environment whilst in South Africa,[6] with the matches played inCape Town andPaarl.[7] In October 2020,Cricket South Africa (CSA) made a plea to its parliament, saying that is of "critical importance",[8] while waiting on government approval for the tour to go ahead.[9] On 21 October 2020, both cricket boards agreed to the series, with the full tour itinerary being confirmed.[10][11]
England won the first two T20I matches to take an unassailable lead in the series.[12] England won the third match by nine wickets to take the series 3–0, with the victory putting England at the top of theICC T20I Championship.[13]
The first ODI match, originally scheduled to be played on 4 December, was cancelled less than an hour before it was due to start,[14] after a South African player tested positive forcoronavirus.[15] As a result, the fixture was moved back by two days.[16] However, on 6 December, the rescheduled match was abandoned after two members of the hotel staff tested positive for coronavirus.[17] Shortly after the match was called off, two members of England's touring party returned "unconfirmed positive tests" for the virus.[18] Later the same day, theEngland and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed that the second ODI, scheduled for 7 December, would not be played on that date.[19] On 7 December, the remainder of the ODI series was postponed.[20] Both cricket boards agreed to work on hosting the ODI series at another time.[21][22]
Jake Ball,Tom Banton,Tom Helm were also named as reserves for England across both formats.[27]Kagiso Rabada was ruled out of South Africa's ODI squad after picking up a groin injury during the T20I series.[28] South Africa also restedFaf du Plessis,Pite van Biljon,Bjorn Fortuin andReeza Hendricks for the ODI series.[29]
A South Africa intra-squad warm-up match, due to take place on 21 November, was cancelled after two players tested positive for coronavirus.[30] A second match, scheduled to be played on 23 November, was also cancelled in an attempt to limit the impact of any possible infections.[31] Conversely, England played one 40-over intra-squad match and one 20-over intra-squad match,[32] withJos Buttler andEoin Morgan named as the team captains.[33]
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Team Buttler won by 50 runs Newlands Cricket Ground,Cape Town Umpires:Shaun George (SA) andAllahudien Paleker (SA) |
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England won by 5 wickets Newlands Cricket Ground,Cape Town Umpires:Adrian Holdstock (SA) andAllahudien Paleker (SA) Player of the match:Jonny Bairstow (Eng) |
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England won by 4 wickets Boland Park,Paarl Umpires:Shaun George (SA) andAdrian Holdstock (SA) Player of the match:Dawid Malan (Eng) |
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England won by 9 wickets Newlands Cricket Ground,Cape Town Umpires:Bongani Jele (SA) andAllahudien Paleker (SA) Player of the match:Dawid Malan (Eng) |
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Match postponed Newlands Cricket Ground,Cape Town Umpires:Marais Erasmus (SA) andAllahudien Paleker (SA) |
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