Australia defeated South Africa by a dramatic two wickets in the series decider thanks to a match-winning climax from Glenn Maxwell, who hammered an undefeated 62 off 36 balls. The hosts were chasing 173 and had fallen to 122/6.
With a boundary against Kwena Maphaka and sixes off Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Marsh took Australia the lead early on. Before Marsh escaped a return chance off Rabada and capitalised with a pick-up six in the same over, Travis Head joined in with two fours against Maphaka. Australia reached 52 at the end of the powerplay when Head added another boundary off Ngidi.
Maxwell’s well-planned counterattack took them home with a delivery to spare, securing the series 2-1.
Senuran Muthusamy’s opening over saw two sixes from Marsh, continuing his attack, but Head’s tense stay came to an end on 19 when he top-edged a sweep from Aiden Markram. Then, in his opening over, Corbin Bosch bowled Josh Inglis for a golden duck after slipping one through. Marsh continued to keep the chase steady at 82/2 after 10 overs, reaching a half-century off 35 balls with a sweeping six from Muthusamy.
However, South Africa retaliated. Maphaka removed Cameron Green in the same over after dismissing Marsh with a well-directed short ball. Despite a swift counterattack from Glenn Maxwell, who hit boundaries off Maphaka and Ngidi, wickets kept falling. Aaron Hardie dropped while attempting to clear long-on, and Tim David’s brief appearance ended with a return catch to Rabada, leaving Australia in a vulnerable position at 122/6.
But Maxwell seized command. On his way to a 30-ball fifty, he hit Maphaka for a four and a six before hitting Rabada for a six and a four in the 18th over. Australia required 13 runs from the final two overs, but Bosch elevated South Africa once again, dismissing Nathan Ellis and Ben Dwarshuis while giving up only two runs. Maxwell maintained composure when 10 runs were needed from the last over. He collected a couple first up, sliced Ngidi through point for four, and boldly ended the match with a reverse-hit boundary.
Dewald Brevis had earlier been the star of South Africa’s innings, hammering his way to 53 off of 26 balls. Before Nathan Ellis scored, Lhuan-dre Pretorius gave the game an early boost when Markram was dismissed by Hazlewood in the opening over. After Adam Zampa dismissed Ryan Rickelton to leave South Africa at 50/3, Brevis launched a comeback, smashing four sixes off Aaron Hardie in an over and sprinting to a 22-ball fifty, the quickest by a South African in T20Is, surpassing his previous record.
A slide was started as Ellis came back to dismiss Brevis with a slower bouncer. Bosch holed out off Hazlewood, Zampa bowled Stubbs, and the visitors fell from 110/3 to 138/6. They reached 172/7 thanks to late boundaries from Rassie van der Dussen and helpful shots from Muthusamy and Rabada, but Maxwell’s brilliant ending came up just short.
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