Tim David's Blazing 83, Hazlewood's Death-Bowling Heroics Seal Australia's Record Ninth Straight T20I Win Over South Africa

India.com

11-08-2025

Australia continued their dominant T20I form with a thrilling 17-run victory over South Africa in the series opener at Marrara Oval, extending their winning streak to a record nine consecutive T20I matches. The match saw a scintillating counter-attack from Tim David and a clinical death-bowling display by Josh Hazlewood, as the hosts defended 178 to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
PowerPlay Chaos and Tim David's Lone Stand
Australia's innings was a tale of two halves. Skipper Mitchell Marsh lit up the first ball of the summer with a towering six over long-off off Lungi Ngidi, but South Africa's quicks struck back hard. Kagiso Rabada and George Linde removed Travis Head (2) and Josh Inglis (0) inside three overs, before Marsh himself fell for 13. By the sixth over, Cameron Green's rapid 35 off 13 balls ended with another Ngidi scalp, leaving Australia reeling at 71/4.
Things went from bad to worse when Kwena Maphaka, the 19-year-old left-arm sensation, announced himself with a double-strike, dismissing Mitch Owen and later Glenn Maxwell to leave the hosts at 75/6. But Tim David, unfazed by the wreckage, launched a counter-offensive that changed the match's complexion.
David Turns the Tide with Brutal Strokeplay
David's knock – a 52-ball 83 featuring eight sixes – was a masterclass in calculated aggression. He targeted the short boundaries, punishing Muthusamy with a monster hit onto the roof and dispatching Rabada for straight sixes. South Africa's fielding lapses proved costly; Tristan Stubbs dropped him on 56, only for David to hammer the next two balls for six.
Partnering with Ben Dwarshuis (17), David shepherded the innings past the 100 mark in the 12th over. Even after Maphaka returned to claim his wicket – completing an outstanding 4-20 spell – Australia's tail wagged just enough to post 178 from 20 overs, a total that looked competitive on a surface offering grip for the spinners.
Hazlewood Strikes Early, Zampa Applies the Squeeze
South Africa's reply began with promise as Ryan Rickelton cracked three early boundaries, but Hazlewood's precision removed skipper Aiden Markram in the first over. Ben Dwarshuis then dismissed Dewald Brevis to leave the Proteas at 48/3 after the PowerPlay.
Rickelton, however, found an ally in Tristan Stubbs. Their 50-run stand kept the visitors in the hunt, with both batters picking boundaries against Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa. At 85/3 in the 11th over, South Africa needed 94 runs from the final nine overs – a steep but achievable task.
Hazlewood's Double Break and Zampa's Timely Strikes
With momentum threatening to shift, Marsh brought back Hazlewood, who delivered a game-changing over. He dismissed Stubbs (28) and George Linde in quick succession, halting South Africa's charge. Zampa then tightened the noose, removing Corbin Bosch and Muthusamy in one over, reducing the equation to 56 off 24 balls.
Rickelton fought valiantly, bringing up his fifty and hammering Ellis for 16 in the penultimate over, but Dwarshuis's clever slower ball to dismiss him in the final over ended South Africa's hopes. The visitors closed on 161/9, falling short by 17 runs.
Records and Takeaways
Australia's Ninth Straight T20I Win: This victory eclipses their previous best of eight consecutive T20I wins between Feb–Jun 2024. Tim David's Impact: His 83 is now among the highest T20I scores for Australia from a No. 5 or lower position. Kwena Maphaka's Breakthrough: The 19-year-old's 4-20 was the best bowling performance by a South African in Australia since 2016.
Hazlewood's Reliability: His 3-26, including key wickets in the death overs, reaffirms his status as one of the most dependable T20 bowlers in the world.
What's Next
Australia head into the second T20I in Brisbane brimming with confidence, eyeing a series win and the chance to extend their remarkable streak to double digits. South Africa, despite flashes of brilliance from Rickelton and Maphaka, will need sharper fielding and a more measured batting approach to level the series.
Brief Scorecard:
Australia 178/9 (Tim David 83, Cameron Green 35; Kwena Maphaka 4-20)
South Africa 161/9 (Ryan Rickelton 71; Josh Hazlewood 3-26, Adam Zampa 2-33)
Result: Australia won by 17 runs