The Last Episode of a Hot-Blooded Affair
Like all good things must come to an end, so does the cricketing story of England and South Africa, the series being drawn at 1-1 with the last T20 International to be held at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, at 1:30 PM UTC on 14th September 2025.
The match couldn’t be more important—England levelled the series with the help of Phil Salt's swashbuckling 141 and Jos Buttler's fireworks* in their crushing 146-run win in the last match. Meanwhile, South Africa are now in a do-or-die position with some inspired innings from Aiden Markram and Bjorn Fortuin, but ultimately, they didn't have enough for England.
ENG vs SA: Match Overview
- Fixture: England vs. South Africa, 3rd T20I
- Series: South Africa tour of England, 2025.
- Date & Time: September 14th, 2025, 1.30 PM (UTC).
- Venue: Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham, UK
- Win Probability: England 61% - South Africa 39%
- Format: T20I
- Toss Prediction: Batting first is preferred.
This is not just a match; this is a series decider. Expect drama in the form of fireworks, and it should go the full distance to the end.
England Preview: Salt, Buttler, and Brook Lead England
England showed up in game two of the series and delivered one of the most dominant performances we've seen in a long time.
Phil Salt: 141 not out in 60 balls (15 fours and 8 sixes exhibited T20I folklore)
Jos Buttler: 83 in 30 balls, proving again no one dismantles bowling attacks quite like England's captain.
Harry Brook: Finished innings in style and cut cruise control heroics with a wonderful 41 in 21 balls.
England's batting is not just stacked; it's lit up from ball one to ball 120. England has Will Jacks, Tom Banton, and Jacob Bethell on the bench—they are hellbent on destruction.
Jofra Archer returned to his lethal best, with 3/25. Sam Curran and Adil Rashid were detrimental to the South African lineup while taking the important wickets that kept the momentum with England.
England Predicted XI:
Harry Brook (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Liam Dawson, Luke Wood
South Africa Preview: Markram's Men Looking for a Bounce Back
Even in the moments when South Africa looked truly brilliant, they were ultimately ruled out of the game in the second game.
Aiden Markram: Reminded everyone that he could take the game by the scruff of the neck when he made a blistering 41 from 20 balls.
Bjorn Fortuin: Stuart surprised us all when he made 32 runs from 16 balls with the bat (but unsuccessfully bowled 2 overs for 52 runs).
Dewald Brevis & Tristan Stubbs: Young stars who could take the game away and turn it on and over.
Bowling is still South Africa's Achilles heel. Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen need to take early wickets, and there is an exciting new arm in Kwena Maphaka.
South Africa Predicted XI:
Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Marco Jansen, Bjorn Fortuin, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka
Pitch & Weather Report: Trent Bridge Conditions
Pitch type: Balanced pitch—good swing visible for pacers and scoring opportunities moderate.
Batting conditions: good stroke play conditions with an average first-inning score of around 167
Bowling Conditions: Early swing support for pacers; spinners get grip when the wicket deteriorates.
Weather—expected light rain showers with moderate breeze conditions.
Toss Prediction - Bat first. In the last 3 T20I matches at this venue, teams batting first have won 2 of them.
Key Battles
Jos Buttler versus Kagiso Rabada—firepower versus pace—this battle could determine the powerplay.
Phil Salt versus Marco Jansen—now can Jansen's bounce contain the man in form for England?
Aiden Markram versus Adil Rashid—Spin vs. skipper—this proves to be a test of patience and timing.
Dewald Brevis versus Jofra Archer—youth and energy versus raw pace!
Betting & Fantasy Picks
Safe Picks - Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Aiden Markram
Differential Picks - Dewald Brevis, Bjorn Fortuin
Best Bowling Boosts—Adil Rashid for wickets in middle overs
Powerplay—Kagiso Rabada & Jofra Archer
Prediction: England to win and take the series 2-1
However, in T20 cricket, one explosive innings or 4 overs of magic can change the event, making this game one to be watched.
Conclusion: A Grand Finale to Wish For
The series so far has had it all: brilliant England, resilient South Africa, and now we prepare for the ultimate showdown at Trent Bridge! Expect sixes, wickets, and action and maybe rain delays doing some work to keep us guessing!
England vs. South Africa—who will have the bottle to win in Nottingham? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure—this T20I finale has all the ingredients for a great event.
