Mitch Marsh and Travis Head will open for Australia as they gear up for next year's T20 World Cup.

The combination will be in full force in Darwin and Cairns as Australia face South Africa in three T20s, the first on Sunday.

Australia are coming off a 5-0 demolition of the West Indies in the Caribbean, finding form in the T20 format.

T20 captain Marsh was looking forward to building a solid opening partnership with Head.

Marsh went to the top of the order in the Caribbean, having been used mostly at No.3.

"It'll be myself and Heady up the top for the foreseeable future," Marsh told reporters in Darwin.

"Obviously we've played a lot together, (we've) got a great relationship, so (we'll) start there."

Marsh didn't confirm the XI for the series-opener, but Australia are likely to go with a similar set-up from the Caribbean.

Hobart Hurricanes hero Mitch Owen was an immediate revelation in the middle order, as he and Tim David bullied the Windies with some explosive hitting.

"... In the Caribbean, he came in earlier than he would normally," Marsh said of David.

"His skill set is made for that.

"The more balls he faces, hopefully the more games he wins us."

World Test Championship matchwinner Aiden Markram leads the Proteas, having taken them to the final of last year's T20 World Cup before losing to India.

"Play with absolute freedom, take the game on and entertain," Markram said what he hoped South Africa could do in this series.

"That's what T20 cricket is all about.

"We know if we play good cricket against whichever team, it's going to be entertaining and it's going to be a good show for people to watch."