Proteas superstar Aiden Markram is thrilled to be making his international comeback against Australia in the annual Pink Day fixture at the Wanderers on Sunday.
Markram has not played for the Proteas since the T20 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand back in March, but will now be back in the pink today.
The 31-year-old old is expected to come into the Proteas line-up for fellow top-order batter Ryan Rickelton, who has been excused from Sunday’s match due to personal reasons.
“It’s great to be back. Yeah, it is a bit different. One, because of the cause, but two, because there tends to be a bit more hype around a Pink Day as well,” Markram told the media ahead of the second ODI.
“So from a player’s point of view, you love that. You want to be involved in the big days like that. But first and foremost is obviously the cause.
“A lot of guys in our shirts, I’m sure the same as the Aussies, that cancer is a thing in life and guys can share a close sort of understanding of what people are going through. And when you can play for that cause, I think it’s a great opportunity.”
The annual Pink Day fixture is a special day on the South African sporting calendar, and will once again give the Proteas Men an opportunity to honour those fighting against breast cancer.
Having triumphed in the series opener in Durban on Thursday, the Proteas arrive in good cheer for Pink Day, when South Africa dresses at its best for a worthy cause.
On Sunday, the Proteas Men will launch the ‘I Pitch Up in Pink For You’ campaign, which will see each member of the squad take to the field with his surname on the back of his playing shirt replaced by the name of a breast cancer fighter or survivor.
For the Proteas, pink represents more than just the colour of their jersey. It represents every fighter, every survivor and every loved one who has stood beside them.
Returning Proteas star Aiden Markram was particularly pleased to be making his comeback to international cricket in the celebrated fixture.
For some members of the Proteas family, that connection is particularly personal. Veteran batter David Miller’s mother Jenny will be one of the survivors honoured, with her name on her son’s shirt.
Tazmin Brits of the Proteas Women will also have her mother, Zeldine, celebrated on Sunday, with Aiden Markram sporting her name on his back.
In South Africa, breast cancer does not only affect women – 1% of men suffer from breast cancer. Thus, one of the shirts will be celebrating Simon, a male survivor, whose name will be proudly displayed on Tristan Stubbs’ back.
Each of the survivors will be made mention of across the broadcast, on a day where much more than just the cricket – the courage shown by so many – is celebrated.
For Temba Bavuma and his men, taking this stance and reiterating cricket’s support for those facing their individual battles is integral to the collective and inclusive spirit that permeates the Proteas change room.
Pink Day has become an important tradition for Cricket South Africa and the Wanderers Stadium. Each year, supporters fill the ‘The Bullring’ in pink, not just in celebrating the wider community, but in also championing those who have survived and who inspire others to do the same against breast cancer.
The fixture has also often brought out the very best on the field for the Proteas, with memorable innings, catches and victories over the years.
On the back of a thrilling opening ODI in Durban, the Proteas will be hoping to wrap up the series at the first time of asking, putting on a performance that is as pretty as it is pink.
Player Shirt Names for Pink Day 2026
Temba Bavuma (Number 11, Name: Agnes Munien), Corbin Bosch (37, Mbali Khoza), Matthew Breetzke (35, Norma Mbali), Gerald Coetzee (62, Maritza Salinger), Quinton De Kock (12, Minke Marais), Tony De Zorzi (33, Charmaine de Witt), Bjorn Fortuin (77, Elza-Marie Van der Lille), Duan Jansen (49, Lynn Szurdoki), Marco Jansen (70, Gwen Thabane), Keshav Maharaj (16, Nono Zwane), Aiden Markram (4, Zeldine Brits), David Miller (10, Jenny Miller), Nqobani Mokoena (21, Marlene Pretorius), Tristan Stubbs (30, Simon Hewitt), and Lizaad Williams (6, Linah Mokeana).
