Australia vs South Africa, 1st T20I, Live Score Updates: 7 Runs From 1 Ball, Mitchell Marsh Goes Bonkers vs South Africa

NDTV

2 days ago

Australia vs South Africa, 1st T20I, Live Updates: South Africa skipper Aiden Markram won the toss and opted to bowl against Australia in the first T20I of the three-match series on Sunday at the Marrara Cricket Ground, Darwin. Ahead of the match, skipper Mitchell Marsh confirmed that he will take the mantle to open Australia's batting order and will form a formidable pair with Travis Head. Including Marsh and Head, Australia have tried and tested five openers in the format since David Warner had his last dance after last year's Caribbean World Cup. This series will be a good preparations for both teams for the 2026 T20 World Cup. (Live Scorecard)
AUS vs SA, 1st T20I, Live Updates
1.3
0
Kagiso Rabada to Travis Head
No run.
1.2
0
Kagiso Rabada to Travis Head
No run.
1.1
1
Kagiso Rabada to Mitchell Marsh
A loosener to start from Rabada as well and he is very lucky to get away with it. Full and down the leg side, Mitchell Marsh swings it casually through fine leg. The fielder in the deep is a bit square and has some distance to cover to his right.
!
Right. That was some start. Clearly, the intentions are just to go bang bang. What would be interesting to see is - whether this approach continues if wickets fall in clusters. By the way, just felt strange on hearing this from Mark Howard on air. He calls Australia and South Africa as the 'JOINT SECOND FAVOURITES' to win the World Cup next year. Ermm... we usually say the favourites, or one of the favourites, right? Seems like even favourites have begun to get denoted in standings. Here's Kagiso Rabada from the other end.
0.6
2
Lungi Ngidi to Travis Head
Width on offer, outside off, going across the left-hander, on a length, Travis Head waits back and slashes that to the left of the deep point fielder and runs a couple.
0.5
0
Lungi Ngidi to Travis Head
Over the wicket. Back of length, and around the hips, Travis Head hops up and keeps it down.
0.4
1
Lungi Ngidi to Mitchell Marsh
Pitched it on a good length, outside off, Mitchell Marsh goes back and cuts it hard towards the deep point to rotate the strike.
0.3
0
Lungi Ngidi to Mitchell Marsh
On a good length, outside off, nipping back in sharply, Mitchell looks to tuck it away but misses and is hit on the thighs.
0.2
4
Lungi Ngidi to Mitchell Marsh
FOUR! SMASH! Yes, that's a Marsh special. This one does not swing, neither does it move. Nither do Marsh's feet. But there is plenty of width outside off and the length is short as well. Marsh likes that. Blasts it over cover for a boundary.
0.2
1 wd
Lungi Ngidi to Mitchell Marsh
WIDE. Tries to overcorrect, does Ngidi. After the attempted outswinger, he goes for the inswinger, but loses his radar. Miles down the leg side, swinging further down, early stretching work for the keeper to his left, as he dives to stop the ball.
0.1
6
Lungi Ngidi to Mitchell Marsh
SIX! Hello! Are we still in the Caribbean? Because that's what we ended up seeing primarily over there. Full and wide outside off, gentle loosener, Mitchell Marsh leans and looks to go over the off side. Does not hit it cleanly, but such is the power of the Bison and the short stature of this ground, that the ball flies over wide long off!
!
All set for play to begin! Template in the West Indies? Win toss, chase. That has changed here, for the Bison. Lost toss, have to set a score now. How will Australia go about it? Especially when they have been pretty open to showing a liking to chasing totals? The new opening pair for the Kangaroos has hopped out to the middle, in the form of head and bison. Wow. Just read that without any capital letters or proper nouns. Pun intended. Skipper Mitchell Marsh strides out with Travis Head. Lungi Ngidi will start off proceedings to the Mitch.
!
The Australian skipper, Mitchell Marsh, says that they would have bowled first as well because they haven't played at this venue, but reckons that it looks like a belter. On the opportunity to seal a record 9th straight T20I win, he says he wasn't aware and hopes that the run can continue and they can put on a show for the Darwin crowd. Mentions that this ground is a fair bit bigger than the one in St. Kitts and hopes that they can score plenty of runs.
!
Aiden Markram, the captain of South Africa, says he wants to have a look at the pitch with the ball first and then take the rest of the game from there. He says he is enjoying himself so far. He has been in town for about a week, has explored some nice places, and has also managed to get some good training on the side. Speaking about the series, he says it is part of the build-up to the T20 World Cup next year. They are trying to fine-tune a lot of things, aiming to play about 15–20 games before the tournament. The tuning starts now by testing out some fresh young faces, while also welcoming back players like Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. He says it is great to have them back and is focused on putting some good combinations together.
!
South Africa (Playing XI) - Aiden Markram (C), Ryan Rickelton (WK), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, George Linde, Senuran Muthusamy, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka, and Lungi Ngidi.
!
Australia (Playing XI) - Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (C), Josh Inglis (WK), Cameron Green, Tim David, Mitchell Owen, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, and Josh Hazlewood.
!
TOSS - The flip of the coin lands in favor of South Africa. Aiden Markram opts to BOWL first.
!
The first two matches of the series will be played at the Marrara Cricket Ground, a venue returning to international cricket for the first time in 17 years. The pitch is expected to be a flat, batting-friendly surface, promising a high-scoring encounter. With Australia holding a strong head-to-head record against South Africa in T20Is, and recent form on their side, they will start as favorites. However, the return of South Africa's star players adds an element of unpredictability, setting the stage for a compelling series opener as both teams begin their final push toward the next T20 World Cup. Stay tuned for the toss and team news.
!
South Africa, on the other hand, will be looking to bounce back after a recent defeat to New Zealand in a T20I tri-series final in Zimbabwe. The Proteas will be significantly bolstered by the return of key players, including captain Aiden Markram and pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada, who were absent from the recent tri-series. The series will also be a chance for young talents like Dewald Brevis to continue their development and test their mettle against a top-tier international side.
!
Hello and a warm welcome to one and all! The T20I series between Australia and South Africa kicks off in Darwin, with both teams looking to fine-tune their squads ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Australia enter the series with momentum, having recently completed a dominant 5-0 sweep of the West Indies away from home. Captain Mitchell Marsh has announced a new opening partnership with Travis Head, a move that signals a fresh approach for the home side's explosive batting lineup. With other key players like Glenn Maxwell and Tim David in strong form, Australia will be a formidable opponent on home soil.