Australia to tune up for World T20 against SA

Australia will tune up for the 2016 ICC World T20 in India with a three-match Twenty20 series in South Africa early next year.

The series will be squeezed in between Australia's Test tour of New Zealand in February 2016 and the World T20 in India, which starts on March 11.

The matches against the Proteas are three of the seven T20s Australia are scheduled to play between now and the World T20.

They will play one against England following the Ashes series this year - in Cardiff on August 31 - and three at home against India at the end of the 2015-16 summer.

Australia also warmed up for the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 with three matches in South Africa, winning two while the third was washed out.

Cricket South Africa today confirmed the series and also announced that Australia will head back to the Highveld in October 2016 for a three-match series of one-day internationals.

"Playing three T20s against Australia just before the ICC World T20 is ideal for the Proteas," said CSA Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat.

"We are grateful to Cricket Australia for having agreed to split their visit to South Africa in 2016 so that we can deliver a full programme of fixtures."

Australia are ranked No.1 in the world in ODI cricket and No.2 in Tests, but are fourth in T20s - just one point clear of South Africa - and were disappointed to not make the semi-finals at the 2014 World T20 in Bangladesh.

George Bailey stood down as captain after that tournament and was replaced by Aaron Finch, who has led to side to three victories from four matches since then.

The Australians have had mixed results in Twenty20's biggest international tournament.

They reached the semi-finals in the inaugural event in 2007 and also in 2012, but lost both matches at the 2009 tournament in England to miss the last eight.

Their best performance came in 2010 in the Caribbean, when they were undefeated before losing the final to England by seven wickets in Barbados.