Glenn Maxwell put in a game-changing performance both in the field and with the bat to get Australia over the line in the deciding T20I against South Africa in Cairns today (August 16).
Going into the final match of the three-game series, both sides were on one win apiece, with South Africa having won the previous T20I in Darwin. Another win for South Africa would have given them their first win against Australia in a multi-game T20I series since 2008.
Maxwell thwarts Brevis onslaught
Young batting sensation Dewald Brevis was the star from the second T20I, hitting a blistering century to become the youngest South Africa batter in history to score a hundred in the format. In Cairns, he looked to be in a similar mood when he came in during the fifth over with the Proteas 32-2. He reached a half-century off 22 balls, smashing Aaron Hardie for three consecutive sixes to bring up the milestone. The only brief respite Australia had from Brevis's aggression was the ninth over of the innings, which Maxwell bowled primarily to Stubbs before Brevis came on strike for the fourth delivery. The over went for just six runs.
Maxwell was also the key to the crucial moment in the game, Brevis's dismissal. The 22-year-old was looking to clear the boundary again, pulling a slower ball from Nathan Ellis down to long on. Maxwell made-up a massive amount of ground running to his right and took a stunning catch on the boundary.
With their run rate having been up near 10s before Brevis's dismissal, South Africa only hit one boundary in the following five overs and lost two further wickets. They finished their innings on 172-7.
3rd T20I, Australia vs South Africa
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'This is clutch' - Maxwell seals tight finish
Australia's chase was on track to be routine after the powerplay. Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head put on 52 runs between them in the first six overs, with Marsh nearing his half-century. However, Head spooned a low full toss from Aiden Markram to Lungi Ngidi at short-fine leg off the final ball of the eighth over, and Josh Inglis was also dismissed four balls later. Marsh fell the over after reaching his half-century, with Cameron Green out for nine to make it two wickets in four balls, leaving Australia 89-4 and slipping behind the run-rate.
GLENN MAXWELL WINS IT ON THE SECOND LAST BALL!#AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/gvrzvyHnGc
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 16, 2025
Green's wicket brought Maxwell to the crease with 85 runs needed to win from 54 balls. He crashed his first ball for four off Kwena Maphaka, before clearing the boundary twice more in the next over. Despite Maxwell upping the run-rate, Australia once again lost two wickets in the same over to leave them six down at the end of the 14th – Tim David and Hardie both falling to Rabada.
By the start of the penultimate over of the innings, Maxwell had reached a half-century off 30 balls, and Australia needed just 12. But, Ben Dwarshuis and Nathan Ellis were dismissed by Corbin Bosch in consecutive balls to flip the equation, and 10 runs were needed from the final over with Maxwell on strike for the first delivery.
Six of those runs were found off the first two balls, Maxwell taking two off Ngidi's first and a driven four off his second. Two dots followed before Maxwell brought out the reverse to hammer the penultimate ball of the game down to the boundary and secure Australia a dramatic win.
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