Against Australia on Tuesday (August 18), South Africa batter Matthew Breetzke continues to impress in his nascent ODI career with yet another fifty-plus score.
Breetzke hits third 50-plus score in a row since debut
Breetzke is the record holder for the highest score on ODI debut, having hit 150 against New Zealand in the Pakistan tri-series in February. He followed it up with another 83 against hosts Pakistan, achieving the highest run tally by anyone in their first two ODI innings.
Yet he missed out on selection when South Africa named their squad for the Champions Trophy, as the team wasn't ready to make any last-minute changes. Playing in his third ODI of his career against Australia on Tuesday, he continued his stellar start by striking his third consecutive 50-plus score.
Batting first, South Africa had a solid start with a 92-run opening stand between Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton. The partnership was broken in the 17th over when Rickelton was dismissed by Travis Head for 33. Markram continued to lead the charge before falling for 82 with South Africa at 131-2.
That brought Breetzke to the crease at No. 4. He hit a 56-ball 57 with the help of seven fours and a six. When he was dismissed in the 40th over, South Africa were in a strong position at 223-3. In the end, the visitors managed 296-8.
A fantastic half-century for Matthew Breetzke! ⚡️
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) August 19, 2025
A brilliant innings full of composure and eye-catching strokes, setting the Proteas up beautifully. 💪🏏 #WozaNawe pic.twitter.com/nYUzzcKsiz
In response, Australia were bundled out for 198, with captain Mitchell Marsh scoring 88 of those runs. Keshav Maharaj, who picked up his maiden five-wicket haul, was the wrecker-in-chief for South Africa, giving them a 98-run victory.
Breetzke continues to enjoy his rapid start to his international career. He now also holds the record for the highest run tally after three ODI innings, going past Nick Knight's total of 264 runs. If we extend the criteria to the first four innings of an ODI career, Breetzke's 290 runs from three innings have already surpassed Temba Bavuma's tally of 280 runs.
Most runs after first three innings in men's ODIs
Follow Wisden for all cricket updates, including live scores, match stats, quizzes and more. Stay up to date with the latest cricket news, player updates, team standings, match highlights, video analysis and live match odds.
