AUS vs SA: Can Lungi Ngidi overcome his T20I woes against Australia?

As South Africa gears up to face Australia in an exciting T20I series starting August 10 in Darwin, all eyes will be on the Proteas’ pace attack. While the World Test Champions transition from red-ball glory to white-ball focus, concerns loom large over the form of one of their most experienced pacers, Lungi Ngidi.

 

Ngidi’s record vs Australia: A stark contrast

 

Ngidi, typically a reliable option for South Africa in T20 cricket, has consistently struggled against Australia, and the numbers paint a grim picture. Across seven T20I matches against the Aussies, he has taken just 7 wickets while conceding runs at an economy rate exceeding 10 in 5 of those games. This is his worst return against any international team in T20Is and is a clear outlier compared to his overall record. 

 

 

Kagiso Rabada vs Australia in T20Is (Innings by Innings list)
Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	Econ	Pos	Inns		Opposition	Ground
2	0	16	2	8	2	2		v Australia	Carrara
3	0	37	1	12.33	2	1		v Australia	Johannesburg
4	0	41	3	10.25	3	2		v Australia	Gqeberha
4	0	33	1	8.25	3	1		v Australia	Cape Town
4	0	49	0	12.25	2	1		v Australia	Durban
2.5	0	41	0	14.47	2	2		v Australia	Durban
1	0	18	0	18	4	2		v Australia	Durban

 

The 2023 series was particularly poor, with Ngidi returning 0 wickets in 3 matches, conceding 108 runs in 47 balls at an economy rate of 14.92. Even in the 2020 series, despite taking 5 wickets across 3 games, his economy was still an expensive 10.09. These figures highlight his inability to contain the aggressive Australian top order, who have consistently targeted him.

 

A crucial role in a young pace unit 

The current South African T20I squad lacks the presence of experienced campaigners, with the pace responsibilities largely resting on young shoulders like Nandre Burger, Kwena Maphaka, and Corbin Bosch. In such a scenario, Ngidi’s leadership and performance become pivotal, not just for match results, but also for shaping the squad’s strategy ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.

 

Time to turn the tide 

Ngidi has shown glimpses of brilliance against other top-tier nations, but Australia continues to be his Achilles' heel. Whether it’s their aggressive batting approach or his inability to adapt lengths, he will need to make significant adjustments. A strong performance in this series could go a long way in not only helping South Africa clinch an away series but also re-establishing Ngidi as a frontline option for the upcoming World Cup campaign.

 

With little room for error and rising competition for spots, the series against Australia may just be the defining chapter in Lungi Ngidi’s T20I resurgence, or the final warning bell

 

Australia ranked 2nd in the T20I rankings would be looking to clinch another series win while the Proteas (5th rank in T20Is) will be vary of the attack they will be up against and try their best to outwit their opponents in this format too.