Smith scored two fifties in the ODI series.
England wicketkeeper batter Jamie Smith is set to miss the T20I series against South Africa, starting September 10. The other opening batter Ben Duckett will also be unavailable for the series.
England lost the ODI series against the Proteas but clinched the final game on Sunday by a record-breaking margin of 342 runs. This was the biggest win for any team by runs in the history of ODIs.
The biggest winning margin in Men's ODI history! 🤯
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 8, 2025
A dominant win on the South Coast!
Full 3rd ODI highlights here pic.twitter.com/VkmWZq5YsC
The two teams will now engage in a T20I series with matches on September 10, 12, and 14. The new ODI opening pair was initially named in the squad but will not take any part.
It is understood that Smith will be rested for three T20Is against South Africa. The 25-year-old batter has opted out of this series after a hectic schedule. Earlier, Duckett was also pulled out of this series for the very same reason.
Both these players have had a busy summer, playing non-stop cricket. Both Smith and Duckett opened for England in all six white-ball games against West Indies in June. Later, they were involved in a grueling five-match Test series against India. Straight after the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, they headed to The Hundred 2025.
Scheduling has been a major issue for England and it has taken a toll on players. With the Ashes coming up in November, they have rested Test players from the T20I squad for the Ireland series.
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Smith is in contention for the T20 World Cup 2026 to be played in India and Sri Lanka early next year. He is vying for the opening spot alongside Duckett, with Phil Salt being his direct competition.
Smith did well in the West Indies, where Salt was unavailable for personal reasons. He hit 130 runs in three games at an incredible strike rate of 200. Following the Test series, he had a decent campaign for London Spirit, scoring 203 runs from seven games at an average of 29 while striking at 170.
Salt, on the other hand, struggled in The Hundred, managing 203 runs from eight games at an average of 25 and strike rate of 131. Smith was likely to be preferred to start in the South Africa T20I series. But with him missing out, Salt will get a new lease of life.
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