Those reverses all add extra intrigue to the clash in Mumbai, which has the potential to rival some of their celebrated one-day international encounters.
Below, AFP Sport looks back at three great England-South Africa ODIs:
Sydney 1992: Raining on South Africa's World Cup parade
Even now, this remains one of the most controversial ODIs of all time.
South Africa's return to their first major international cricket tournament after more than 20 years of apartheid-enforced isolation saw them advance to the semi-finals of their maiden World Cup.
They were well in the hunt to beat England in Sydney, needing 22 off 13 balls, when rain stopped play.
But under the rain rule then in use, South Africa were left with an impossible 21 off one ball when play resumed 10 minutes later.
Although there was plenty of sympathy for South Africa, some observers pointed out they only had themselves to blame for bowling 45 overs in the time allotted as England made 252-6 featuring Graeme Hick's 83.
The ensuing furore led to a change in the regulations, with the Duckworth/Lewis rule - a source of future World Cup heartache for South Africa - being adopted as the method for setting revised targets in rain-affected matches.
Bloemfontein 2005: Pietersen hits maiden international century
South Africa needed eight runs to win with five wickets in hand when struggling paceman Kabir Ali was called up to bowl the last over of the match, having conceded 13 in his previous over.
Ali then promptly delivered a waist-high no-ball that Mark Boucher hit for four. Boucher, however, then whacked another full toss straight to midwicket.
Ali conceded just one run from the next two balls before Ashwell Prince was run out.
Shaun Pollock managed a single to level the scores but the final delivery of the match saw Geraint Jones, standing up close to prevent a scampered bye, stump Andrew Hall after he chopped down late on a full-length delivery.
Earlier, the crowd had jeered Kevin Pietersen as the South Africa-born batsman scored his first international hundred for England - an impressive 108 not out off 96 balls.
The son of an English mother and South African father, Pietersen had provoked a furore by citing South Africa's policy of racial transformation as the reason why he felt compelled to leave home and revive a stalled career by opting to play county cricket in England.
Bloemfontein 2023: Nortje strikes as South Africa win thriller
The definition of a see-saw contest, South Africa made 298-7 batting first, with Rassie van der Dussen contributing 111.
England responded with a century opening stand, the visitors racing to 146 with Jason Roy going on to make 113.
But paceman Sisanda Magala's 3-46 checked England's chase, before express quick Anrich Nortje's 4-62 did major damage in a match South Africa won by 27 runs.
