South Africa vs. Australia 2nd Test 2026: Result, Final Scores and XIs

Updated October 23, 2026: South Africa beat Australia by an innings and 31 runs in the second Test at Dafabet St George’s Park in Gqeberha. The match ended on Thursday, October 22, after five scheduled days. Cricket Australia’s official Day Five report confirms the final totals: South Africa 425/9 declared, followed by Australia’s innings of 99 and 295. The result levels the three-Test series at 1–1, with the final Test scheduled in Cape Town from October 27 to 31. The match is complete; the score below is the final result, not a live update.

Second Test result and final score

South Africa made 425 for nine before declaring its first innings. Australia replied with 99, then followed on and scored 295 in its second innings. Because Australia’s two totals added up to 394, it finished 31 runs short of South Africa’s first-innings score. South Africa therefore won by an innings and 31 runs.

The hosts recovered after falling to 110 for six during the early part of the match. Captain Temba Bavuma made 179, and Marco Jansen added 85 as South Africa reached 425/9 and declared. Australia’s first innings ended at 99. The visitors were asked to bat again immediately, and although Travis Head scored 121 in the second innings, South Africa completed the win before the end of Day Five. Cricket Australia’s report credits Kagiso Rabada with four wickets for 77 runs and Wiaan Mulder with three for 64 in Australia’s second innings; Jansen took six wickets across the match.

Rain disrupted the Test and cost the teams almost two cumulative days of play, according to Cricket Australia. That interruption shortened the time available, but it did not prevent a result: South Africa’s recovery with the bat and the two Australian dismissals in succession decided the match. The Cricket Australia Day Five report confirms the result and final innings totals. Its official match center provides the scorecard and match coverage.

Schedule, venue, and start time

The second Test was scheduled for Sunday, October 18, through Thursday, October 22, 2026, at Dafabet St George’s Park in Gqeberha, South Africa. The scheduled first ball was 10:00 a.m. South Africa Standard Time (SAST, UTC+02:00) on Sunday, October 18. That is 08:00 UTC on the same date. Cricket Australia also listed the opening at 7:00 p.m. Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT, UTC+11:00) on Sunday, October 18. These are equivalent scheduled times; rain affected the actual sessions.

The dates above are the published five-day window, not a promise that every session would be played. Rain interruptions altered the daily schedule, and match conditions can lead to revised session times. The Test did use the final scheduled day, concluding in Gqeberha on October 22.

Cricket South Africa’s home-season fixture information and Cricket Australia’s match preview listed the 10:00 a.m. venue start. South Africa stays on SAST (UTC+02:00) throughout the year, so the UTC conversion for October 18 is unchanged by daylight saving. For the Australian broadcast market, use AEDT only for locations observing that time zone; Australia has multiple time zones. The Cricket Australia match preview lists the venue, dates, first-ball time, and Australian broadcast information.

Toss and confirmed playing XIs

Australia won the toss on October 18 and chose to field first. These are the confirmed match XIs announced at the toss:

Australia XI: Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Renshaw, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitch Starc, Scott Boland, and Josh Hazlewood.

South Africa XI: Aiden Markram, Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (captain), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton (wicketkeeper), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Kagiso Rabada, and Anrich Nortje.

Scott Boland replaced Nathan Lyon in Australia’s XI, leaving the visitors with an all-seam attack. South Africa selected Marques Ackerman as its debutant opener and included Kagiso Rabada. The confirmed list is the XI that played the Test, rather than the larger squads announced before match day. See Cricket Australia’s toss and team report for the selection announcement.

Where to watch or follow the match

In Australia: Cricket Australia listed Fox Cricket and Kayo as the exclusive broadcast options for the tour. Its schedule listed the second Test’s opening session at 7:00 p.m. AEDT on Sunday, October 18. The match has ended, so viewers looking back can check the authorized service’s replay and highlights availability.

In South Africa: SuperSport listed the second Test as live coverage. Availability can depend on a viewer’s package and platform. Its South Africa v Australia fixture page carries the tour schedule and coverage listing.

Elsewhere: Rights differ by country. Check an authorized broadcaster or streaming service in your location for archived coverage, highlights, or scorecard access. Cricket Australia’s match center and the official reports linked above are options for match information; they do not guarantee video availability in every market.

Series context and the next Test

Australia won the first Test in Durban by 214 runs, then South Africa’s innings victory in Gqeberha brought the series level at 1–1. One match remains in the three-Test tour: the third Test is scheduled for October 27–31 at Newlands in Cape Town. The International Cricket Council lists the South Africa–Australia series as part of the World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle. The result in Gqeberha is confirmed, while the outcome of the Cape Town Test remains undecided as of this update.

For the series schedule and WTC context, see the ICC series preview. Cricket Australia’s tour page also lists the remaining fixture. This update replaces the previous in-progress score with the verified final result while retaining the match’s venue, scheduled window, toss, teams, and viewing information.