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As South Africa prepares to face Australia in the decisive third T20I of the ongoing series, all eyes are firmly set on skipper Aiden Markram, who will be hoping to end a prolonged dip in form that has seen him go without a half-century in the format since October 2022.

The three-match series is currently level at 1-1, and with the decider looming, Markram’s role at the top of the order has come under scrutiny. In the first two T20Is, he managed scores of just 12 and 18, continuing a lean patch that dates back nearly three years.
 

Markram’s last T20I fifty came in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 against India at Perth, where he played a pivotal knock of 52 in a tense chase of 134. However, since that innings, he has failed to cross the 50-run mark in 30 consecutive T20I innings, scoring 555 runs at an average of 21.34 and a strike rate of 138.40. His highest score during this period remains 49, and he has reached 20 or more on just 11 occasions.

Despite this recent downturn in T20I form, Markram`s overall numbers in the shortest format remain respectable. He has amassed 2,513 T20 runs at an average of 27.92 and a strike rate of 133+, including one century and 13 half-centuries, with a career-best of 100 in 104 innings.

Domestically, Markram enjoyed a successful 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign with the Lucknow Super Giants. Opening the innings, he scored 445 runs in 13 matches at an average of 34.23 and a strike rate of 148.82, including five fifties and a top score of 66. His strong IPL showing has further cemented his case to remain at the top of the order.
 

Speaking ahead of the third T20I, Markram confirmed that he would continue opening for South Africa for at least the next six months in the build-up to the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. The decision is aimed at creating space in the top order for explosive young talents such as Lhuan-Dre Pretorius and Ryan Rickelton, whom the team management sees as key assets in the team`s plans. 

"Going through our squads and (looking at) the players that we have got around, we think that is the best fit," said Markram as quoted by cricket.com.au

"We have got some guys in the middle order that are destructive, a lot more destructive than myself."

"And we feel it is better off for me and Ricks (Rickelton) to be up top.

"I did it a bit at the IPL, I am starting to do it now again at international cricket. It is an exciting role. It is nice to be able to bat in the Powerplay," he concluded.

Markram does have a poor record while opening, scoring just 56 runs in five innings, with the best score of 18.

South Africa T20 squad: Aiden Markram (c), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Rassie van der Dussen

Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen (out with concussion), Matthew Short (out with injury), Adam Zampa.