AUS vs SA, 3rd T20I: Glenn Maxwell’s heroics help Australia win the series 2-1

Glenn Maxwell’s unbeaten 62 from 36 balls helped Australia win the AUS vs SA, 3rd T20I by 2 wickets in Cairns on Saturday. Australia chased down South Africa’s 173-run target with one ball to spare. Corbin Bosch, with 26/3, tried to help South Africa make a comeback in the match, but Glenn Maxwell’s inning helped Australia win the series by 2-1.

What happened in the match?

Australia won the toss and Mitchell Marsh bowled first to assess the conditions early in the match. South African captain Aiden Markram also wanted to bat first and use the conditions well with an extra spinner in the team. Australia brought three changes to their lineup from the second T20I, while South Africa made one change in their lineup.

Aiden Markram’s low scores continued in the final T20I of the series as well, as Josh Hazlewood dismissed him in the first over of the match. Luhan-dre Pretorius got a good start to his innings but failed after 24 off 15 balls. Ryan Rickelton also departed soon, as Adam Zampa used the conditions pretty well.

But, just like the second T20I, it was young Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs who built a 59-run partnership to steady the ship. Brevis, who had scored a stunning 125 in the last match, went back to the dressing room after a solid 53 from 26 balls and gave the momentum to their inning.

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However, Stubbs could not get going as he added 25 from 23 balls before perishing. In the end, Rassie van der Dussen’s unbeaten 38 from 26 balls helped South Africa reach 172/7 in the first inning, which was decent after their shaky start. Nathan Ellis (31/3), Adam Zampa (24/2), and Josh Hazlewood (30/2) were the pick of the bowlers for the hosts.

In the second inning, Australia got off to a flyer with captain Mitchell Marsh smashing boundaries from the word go. But, after 66 from 8 overs, South Africa struck back with Aiden Markram dismissing Travis Head on 19 from 18. In the next over, Corbin Bosch dismissed Josh Inglish on duck, and we were in for a great finish.

Kwena Maphaka dismissed Marsh on 54 from 37 balls, and Cameron Green also departed after adding only 9 from 8 balls. Tim David’s wicket in the 14th over gave South Africa a hope to clinch a T20I series win after 2018/19, but Glenn Maxwell poured water on their thoughts.

Maxwell stood like a hero and saw others getting out from the other end. Kagiso Rabada dismissed Aaron Hardie while Corbin Bosch picked up two in the 19th over.

With 10 needed from the final over, Maxwell first took a double in the first ball. Then hit a boundary off Lungi Ngidi to make it 4 from 4. However, everything got tense as Maxwell played two back-to-back dot balls. But in the fifth ball of the over, Ngidi bowled a big full toss and Maxwell reverse-swept it over third man to clinch the win.

Maxwell finished with 62 off 36 balls to earn the player of the match award. Tim David was named the player of the series for his outstanding performances with the bat.