England and South Africa will play a three-match T20I series starting on Wednesday (September 10). Here's what the ICC men's T20I team rankings look like, ahead of game one.
The two sides will meet in Cardiff at the Rose Bowl later today (September 10), with the second and third T20Is to be held in Manchester and Nottingham on September 12 and 14.
Earlier this week, the teams' three-match ODI series came to an end, the visitors winning that 2-1 after an easy win in Leeds, and a close one at Lord's before England hit back with a consolation win by 342 runs, the largest-ever margin of victory in a men's ODI.
The three T20Is should serve as a further tune-up for the 2026 T20 World Cup, which will be held early next year in India and Sri Lanka. Last Friday (September 5), England added all-rounder Sam Curran to their squad for the series, releasing opener Ben Duckett in order to give him some time off after a gruelling international summer. A day out from the series opener, Curran was named in the starting XI as well.
The hosts enter this series as the third-best team in the world behind India and Australia – in sharp contrast to their struggles in ODI cricket, where they sit at No.8. South Africa, meanwhile are in 5th place, but even a 3-0 series win would not move them up in the rankings, simply close the gap to New Zealand in fourth.
Latest ICC men's T20I team rankings ahead of ENG vs SA T20Is
| Position | Team | Matches | Points | Rating |
| 1 | India | 57 | 15425 | 271 |
| 2 | Australia | 37 | 9829 | 266 |
| 3 | England | 40 | 10287 | 257 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 46 | 11628 | 253 |
| 5 | South Africa | 43 | 10437 | 243 |
| 6 | West Indies | 51 | 12161 | 238 |
| 7 | Pakistan | 58 | 13438 | 232 |
| 8 | Sri Lanka | 37 | 8539 | 231 |
| 9 | Afghanistan | 36 | 8042 | 223 |
| 10 | Bangladesh | 52 | 11537 | 222 |
| 11 | Ireland | 32 | 6439 | 201 |
| 12 | Zimbabwe | 51 | 10209 | 200 |
| 13 | Netherlands | 35 | 6366 | 182 |
| 14 | Scotland | 23 | 4178 | 182 |
| 15 | UAE | 50 | 8973 | 179 |
| 16 | Namibia | 26 | 4617 | 178 |
| 17 | USA | 33 | 5769 | 175 |
| 18 | Nepal | 33 | 5535 | 168 |
| 19 | Canada | 35 | 5374 | 154 |
| 20 | Oman | 35 | 5121 | 146 |
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