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The Australia National Cricket Team won a thriller against the Zimbabwe National Cricket Team in the final ODI match of the series. They won the third match by one wicket. Ahead of the next series, which is against the South Africa National Cricket Team, the Aussies have added Jack Edwards to their ODI squad for the three-match series.
The Kangaroos already won the three-match series against Zimbabwe after winning the first two matches in dominating fashion. However, the third match went down to the wire as they lost wickets, but a solid last-wicket partnership between Nathan Ellis and Spencer Johnson saw the Aussies get through the last game as well. This would be a big confidence boost for the side.
Jack Edwards added to Australia squad
Jack Edwards was travelling to Puducherry, India, for the List A four-day match between Australia A and India A. But Jack Edwards will now report to Durban ahead of the first ODI match against the Proteas on 24th September 2026. Jack Edwards will be the replacement for pacer Billy Stanlake, who has been ruled out of the forthcoming series due to a side strain.
Billy Stanlake suffered the side strain during the second ODI against the Chevrons and was ruled out of the match as he pulled up midway through his fifth over, and will undergo scans upon returning to the country. The pacer failed to pick up any wickets in this series, and the majority of the injury will be cleared once the scans are done in Australia.
Why will Spencer Johnson not travel to South Africa?
Apart from Stanlake, Spencer Johnson has also been released from the squad and is being asked to join the Australia A side in India, as he is not required for the main team in the series against the Proteas. As the full set of fast bowlers return to the squad, Johnson is not injured, as he played two of the three matches in Harare.
Spencer Johnson will feature in the India A vs Australia A in the three 50-over games in Puducherry next month. He picked three wickets in the ODI series, returned to ODI cricket after an 18-month gap, and played a key role. He will look to pick wickets in India and the tail up for the selectors.
Australia seal win in a dramatic fashion
Coming to the third ODI, Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat first, with half-centuries from Innocent Kaia (55), Craig Ervine (59), and Sikandar Raza (81*) helping the side to post a fighting total of 271/8 in their 50-overs.
The Aussies in the run chase kept losing wickets; however, a brilliant knock of 103 runs from wicket-keeper Josh Inglis kept the side in the game, and a brilliant 27-run partnership for the 10th wicket between Johnson and Nathan Ellis sealed the win for the side.
Australia updated ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins, Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Joel Davies, Jack Edwards, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa
