Australia’s Glenn Maxwell produced an unbeaten half-century in a tense chase to assist the hosts edge out South Africa by two wickets within the third and remaining Twenty20 Worldwide and full a 2-1 collection victory in Cairns on Saturday.
Maxwell’s unbeaten 62 off 36 balls helped Australia chase down a 173-run goal with one ball to spare in an exhilarating decider on the Cazalys Stadium.
After 18 overs of its innings, it was a run-a-ball goal for Australia with Maxwell within the center.
However South African Corbin Bosch (3-26) claimed two wickets within the penultimate over and saved Maxwell away from the strike.
Needing 10 off the final over from Lungi Ngidi, Maxwell took six from the primary 4 balls earlier than reverse sweeping the bowler for a 4 to seal Australia’s dramatic victory.
“It was just a little bit nerve-wracking,” Maxwell stated after being adjudged participant of the match. “I most likely needed to do the vast majority of the placing however, yeah, it was good to get a pair out of the center proper close to the top.”
Earlier, put in to bat, South Africa overcame a high order wobble to publish a aggressive 172-7 with Dewald Brevis (53) top-scoring for them.
The vacationer was 49-3 inside seven overs however Brevis seemed unfazed and hit Aaron Hardie for 4 sixes in an over, throwing the pacer out of the assault.
Brevis raced to a 22-ball fifty however Maxwell took a superb operating catch close to the rope to dismiss him off the bowling of Nathan Ellis (3-31).
Tristan Stubbs contributed 25 and Rassie van der Dussen made 38 not out down the order however South Africa nonetheless fell in need of the 175-mark.
Skipper Mitchell Marsh (54) led Australia’s strong reply, dominating his 66-run opening stand with Travis Head (19).
Kagiso Rabada floored a return catch from Marsh when the batter was on 26 and Aiden Markram gave the same reprieve to Head off his personal bowling.
Head couldn’t capitalise on it although and fell to Markram in the identical over.
Bosch bowled Josh Inglis for a primary ball duck earlier than South Africa’s teenaged left-arm fast Kwena Maphaka dismissed Marsh and Cameron Inexperienced (9) in the identical over to show the match on its head.
Rabada additionally produced a two-wicket over, dismissing Tim David and Hardie however Maxwell stayed calm to information Australia house.
The three-match one-day worldwide collection between the edges begins in Cairns on Tuesday.