Australia vs South Africa Champions, WCL 2026: Preview, Squads & Match Time
South Africa Champions won by 8 wkts. Australia Champions 209/5 (20), South Africa Champions 210/2 (15.4) in Match 9 of WCL Season 3, played on Friday 9 October 2026 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Fixture verified against Cricbuzz’s WCL 2026 match list · Result confirmed
South Africa Champions won by 8 wkts
Player of the match: de Villiers
Australia Champions innings209/5 (20)
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Warner (c)c Phangiso b Imran Tahir | 48 | 37 | 5 | 2 | 129.7 |
| Usman Khawajac Sarel Erwee b de Lange | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 112.5 |
| D Arcy Shortc van Wyk b Hardus Viljoen | 66 | 25 | 7 | 5 | 264.0 |
| Joe Burnsnot out | 38 | 25 | 1 | 3 | 152.0 |
| Ben Dunk †c Duminy b Hardus Viljoen | 13 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 108.3 |
| Callum Fergusonb Hardus Viljoen | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Jonathan Wellsnot out | 23 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 191.7 |
| Extrasb 5, lb 0, w 7, nb 0 | 12 | ||||
| Total20 overs · RR 10.45 | 209/5 | ||||
Did not bat Ben Laughlin, Kane Richardson, Ben Hilfenhaus, Fawad Ahmed
Fall of wickets 1-26 (Usman Khawaja, 3.1 ov), 2-121 (D Arcy Short, 10.2 ov), 3-135 (David Warner, 13.2 ov), 4-168 (Ben Dunk, 16.3 ov), 5-168 (Callum Ferguson, 16.4 ov)
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne Parnell | 4 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 9.50 |
| Hardus Viljoen | 4 | 0 | 29 | 3 | 7.20 |
| Marchant de Lange | 4 | 0 | 45 | 1 | 11.20 |
| Jean-Paul Duminy3 wd | 1 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 16.00 |
| Imran Tahir1 wd | 4 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 6.00 |
| Aaron Phangiso3 wd | 3 | 0 | 52 | 0 | 17.30 |
South Africa Champions innings210/2 (15.4)
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Levic Burns b Kane Richardson | 62 | 29 | 3 | 5 | 213.8 |
| Faf du Plessisb Kane Richardson | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 166.7 |
| AB de Villiers (c)not out | 111 | 40 | 6 | 11 | 277.5 |
| Jean-Paul Duminynot out | 27 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 122.7 |
| Extrasb 0, lb 2, w 3, nb 0 | 5 | ||||
| Total15.4 overs · RR 13.40 | 210/2 | ||||
Did not bat Sarel Erwee, Morne van Wyk †, Wayne Parnell, Hardus Viljoen, Marchant de Lange, Imran Tahir, Aaron Phangiso
Fall of wickets 1-12 (Faf du Plessis, 1.3 ov), 2-139 (Richard Levi, 9.4 ov)
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Hilfenhaus1 wd | 3.4 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 12.80 |
| Kane Richardson1 wd | 3 | 0 | 26 | 2 | 8.70 |
| Ben Laughlin | 3 | 0 | 51 | 0 | 17.00 |
| Fawad Ahmed | 4 | 0 | 53 | 0 | 13.20 |
| D Arcy Short1 wd | 2 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 15.50 |
Australia vs South Africa: date, venue and start times
| Competition | World Championship of Legends 2026 (WCL Season 3) |
|---|---|
| Fixture | Australia Champions vs South Africa Champions |
| Match | Match 9 · League stage |
| Date | Friday 9 October 2026 |
| Venue | Sharjah Cricket Stadium, United Arab Emirates |
| UAE | 3:30 PM · UTC+4 |
| India | 5:00 PM IST |
| Pakistan | 4:30 PM PKT |
| Bangladesh | 5:30 PM · UTC+6 |
| United Kingdom | 12:30 PM BST |
| Format | T20 |
| Status | Completed: South Africa Champions won by 8 wkts |
What to know before the match
This was Match 9 of the Season 3 league stage, the afternoon game of the 9 October double-header. South Africa Champions won by 8 wkts. Player of the match: de Villiers.
Australia Champions have 3 wins and 2 defeats from 5 completed Season 3 matches. Most recent: beat England by 16 runs on 14 October. South Africa Champions have 5 wins and 0 defeats from 5 completed Season 3 matches. Most recent: beat Bangladesh by 88 runs on 14 October.
Squad news, players and playing XIs
Australia Champions
David Warner is named in Season 3 coverage. Left-handed opening batter. Warner adds a new opening option for Australia in Season 3. The opening partnership and the way Australia use the first six overs are central questions for their batting plan once the XI is named.
A complete match-day squad and starting XI for this fixture have not been verified. The previous-season roster is available in the team guide and is labelled by season; inclusion in that roster is not confirmation of selection for this match.
Australia Champions squad, player profiles and Season 3 fixtures →
South Africa Champions
AB de Villiers is named in Season 3 coverage. Right-handed batter. South Africa return as defending champions. AB de Villiers was the central figure in the 2025 final, and opposing attacks will need a plan for his ability to score in different areas of the ground.
A complete match-day squad and starting XI for this fixture have not been verified. The previous-season roster is available in the team guide and is labelled by season; inclusion in that roster is not confirmation of selection for this match.
South Africa Champions squad, player profiles and Season 3 fixtures →
Australia Champions won the toss and chose to bat. The playing XIs, batting order and bowling figures are in the scorecard at the top of this page.
Past WCL records and head-to-head context
2025 league meeting · 27 July 2025: South Africa won by 95 runs. Result source: Cricbuzz.
| Team | WCL background |
|---|---|
| Australia Champions | Third in the 2025 league table with five points; semi-finalists |
| South Africa Champions | 2025 champions; second in the league table with eight points |
Venue and conditions
All Season 3 matches are played at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, including both semi-finals and the final. The Dubai leg was dropped when the fixture list was reissued after Pakistan Champions withdrew. This fixture is the afternoon game of the day’s double-header, starting at 3:30 PM UAE.
A match-specific pitch report, weather forecast and boundary measurements are not available in the schedule announcement. Surface preparation, conditions on the day and the toss will inform batting and bowling decisions. A par score or a chasing advantage should not be assumed from the venue name alone.
Explore the Sharjah venue guide →
Live score, broadcast and match updates
Final result: South Africa Champions won by 8 wkts. The full scorecard is in the match panel at the top of this page. The 2025 results in the historical section are separate from this Season 3 fixture.
Season 3 broadcast and streaming details must be checked against rights announcements. The 2025 broadcaster list is historical reference, not a guarantee that the same service will carry this fixture. See the broadcast guide for the latest verified information. Ticket prices and booking details are not yet verified for this fixture.
Season 3 points table · Complete Season 3 schedule · All seven team guides
Frequently asked questions
When is Australia vs South Africa in WCL 2026?
It was played on Friday 9 October 2026, starting at 3:30 PM UAE / 5:00 PM IST. South Africa Champions won by 8 wkts.
Where is the match being played?
Sharjah Cricket Stadium, United Arab Emirates.
Are the playing XIs confirmed?
Yes. The playing XIs were named at the toss and are listed in the scorecard on this page.
Sources and editorial notes
Fixture date, venue and start time follow the announced Season 3 schedule in our full tournament calendar. Team and tournament background is available in the linked team guides. The WCL UAE announcement published by CricTracker names the headline Season 3 players. Squad reports are attributed above. Match analysis is editorial context, not a prediction or a confirmed selection.