Why Are South African Players Wearing Pink Jersey In 2nd ODI vs Australia?

South African Players In Pink ODI (Source: AFP Photos)

South African players are in pink jerseys on Sunday when they take field against Australia for the second ODI of the three-match series at The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg.

Usually, for ODIs, they wear green-coloured jerseys. So, queries were raised about why exactly the change in jersey colour happened. Here, in this article, let’s take a look at the subject, with all the necessary information.

Before that, let’s not forget the fact that South Africa are currently leading the series with a 1-0 scoreline, with Matthew Breetzke making headlines with a sensational century in the 1st ODI. Thus, a win over Australia in pink jerseys would guarantee them a series win with a match to spare.

South Africa Cricket Pink Day Explained

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has a dedicated one day in a year where all players wear pink jerseys in support of breast cancer awareness. They call it a ‘Pink Day’, and all the funds they raise go fully to Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital Breast Care Clinic.

The Pink Day match only happens at Johannesburg’s The Wanderers Stadium, as the hospital in which the funds transfer is nearby as well.

"Annually, the unit addresses up to 350 women with newly diagnosed breast cancer and provide a service to seven district hospitals from Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and further afield. Patients from other provinces and all over Africa are also accommodated. On an annual basis, this hospital treats more than 200,000 patients," a CSA statement read.

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The primary way to contribute to Pink Day awareness is to buy tickets for the special match, which, this year, would be South Africa vs Australia 2nd ODI.

Besides, there is a ‘Pledge Pink’ promise happen across many schools, businesses and sports clubs in South Africa. From there too, funds go straight to Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.

South Africa's Record In Pink Day Matches

The Pink Day matches for South Africa begun in 2013. Important to note that there was only one occasion since the beginning when a Pink Day match was played in T20I format instead of ODIs.

It only happened earlier this year, keeping in mind that T20 World Cup 2026 would follow soon.

[South Africa's Pink-Ball Win-Loss Record]

As mentioned above, oppositions have had victories over South Africa in Pink Day matches only four in 13 attempts.

Memorable Pink Day Moments

While wearing pink jersey, AB de Villiers smashed a century in just 31 balls, of them a half-century came in just 16 balls. It happened in 2015 against West Indies, in which he finished with 149 off 44 deliveries.

Hashim Amla and Rilee Rossouw made centuries in that extraordinary innings as well, with South Africa finishing with 439/2.

Apart from that, an emerging Heinrich Klaasen’s unbeaten 27-ball 43 against India in 2018, along with Aiden Markram’s 126-ball 175 in 2023, which was also his first-ever ODI century, hogged limelight before.

Besides, Amla and de Villieres made a the-then 3rd wicket-partnership record (238 runs) against Pakistan when they had a Pink Day match in 2013. 

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