South Africa host Bangladesh in the first Test of the series at The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, on Sunday, 15 November 2026. The CricStats data lean favours the hosts at 81% to 19%, built on a 14-0 head-to-head record and stronger recent form. Here is what the numbers suggest.
Head-to-Head: A One-Sided Test Record
South Africa and Bangladesh have met in 16 Tests since 2002. South Africa have won 14, Bangladesh none, and two matches ended as a tie, draw or no result.
The last five meetings were all South African wins, including three by an innings or by 220 runs or more.
| Metric | Value |
|---|
| Tests played | 16 |
| South Africa wins | 14 |
| Bangladesh wins | 0 |
| Tied/drawn/no result | 2 |
| First meeting | 2002 |
Most Recent Meetings
| Date | Result | Venue |
|---|
| 29 Oct 2024 | South Africa won by an innings and 273 runs | Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium |
| 21 Oct 2024 | South Africa won by 7 wickets | Shere Bangla National Stadium |
| 8 Apr 2022 | South Africa won by 332 runs | St George's Park |
| 31 Mar 2022 | South Africa won by 220 runs | Kingsmead |
| 6 Oct 2017 | South Africa won by an innings and 254 runs | Mangaung Oval |
In the last 10 decisive meetings, South Africa hold a 100% share of wins. That is the foundation of the data lean.
Recent Form: Contrasting Trajectories
Across their last 10 completed Tests against any opponent, South Africa have won 8 and lost 2. Bangladesh have won 4 and lost 3, with the remaining three drawn.
The CricStats recent win rate stands at 80% for South Africa and 57% for Bangladesh.
South Africa: Last Five Tests
| Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|
| 27 Oct 2026 | Australia | Won by 176 runs |
| 18 Oct 2026 | Australia | Won by an innings and 31 runs |
| 9 Oct 2026 | Australia | Lost by 214 runs |
| 22 Nov 2025 | India | Won by 408 runs |
| 14 Nov 2025 | India | Won by 30 runs |
Bangladesh: Last Five Tests
| Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|
| 5 Nov 2026 | West Indies | Drawn |
| 28 Oct 2026 | West Indies | Lost by 8 wickets |
| 9 Oct 2026 | Afghanistan | Drawn |
| 22 Aug 2026 | Australia | Lost by an innings and 51 runs |
| 13 Aug 2026 | Australia | Won by 9 wickets |
South Africa have won two straight Tests, while Bangladesh have not won in their last four.
The Wanderers: Venue Trends
The Wanderers has hosted 44 completed Tests. Teams batting first have won 18, against 8 for teams chasing.
The average first-innings total at the ground is 315. Batting first has historically produced more than twice as many wins as chasing here.
| Venue Metric | Value |
|---|
| Completed Tests | 44 |
| Won batting first | 18 |
| Won chasing | 8 |
| Average first-innings total | 315 |
Players in Form Over the Last 12 Months
Squads are not confirmed, so the names below are players who have been in form in Tests over the last 12 months, not certain starters.
South Africa
Bangladesh
| Player | Discipline | Output |
|---|
| Mushfiqur Rahim | Batting | 393 runs in 9 innings (best 106) |
| Towhid Hridoy | Batting | 366 runs in 4 innings (best 242) |
| Shadman Islam | Batting | 357 runs in 11 innings (best 105) |
| Hasan Mahmud | Bowling | 23 wickets in 5 matches |
| Mehidy Hasan Miraz | Bowling | 18 wickets in 6 matches |
| Taijul Islam | Bowling | 15 wickets in 6 matches |
Marco Jansen appears in both South African lists, with 304 runs and 25 wickets. Towhid Hridoy's 366 runs in only 4 innings is the sharpest per-innings return among the Bangladesh names.
Top Performers in This Fixture Since 2021
| Category | Player | Output |
|---|
| Runs | Tony de Zorzi (South Africa) | 248 runs in 3 innings |
| Runs | Mahmudul Hasan Joy (Bangladesh) | 232 runs in 8 innings |
| Runs | Dean Elgar (South Africa) | 227 runs in 4 innings |
| Wickets | Keshav Maharaj (South Africa) | 29 wickets |
| Wickets | Taijul Islam (Bangladesh) | 22 wickets |
| Wickets | Kagiso Rabada (South Africa) | 14 wickets |
CricStats Data Lean
The numbers point clearly towards the hosts. South Africa are favourites at 81%, with Bangladesh at 19%.
| Indicator | South Africa | Bangladesh |
|---|
| Head-to-head, last 10 decisive meetings | 100% | 0% |
| Recent win rate | 80% | 57% |
| CricStats win probability lean | 81% | 19% |
This is a statistical lean, not a certainty. Bangladesh's batting form, led by Mushfiqur Rahim and Towhid Hridoy, gives them measurable scoring output to build on. The data still sits firmly with South Africa.