Australia’s T20 juggernaut rolled on with another series victory even if it was a little too close to comfort in the decider against South Africa in Cairns.
Glenn Maxwell was the hero, steering Australia home by two wickets with a ball to spare with an unbeaten half-century, but he was one of several stars as the hosts bookended the three-match series with victories.
It means that they are unbeaten in seven straight bilateral T20 series.
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Australia’s top order may have some work to do after they largely found the going tougher against the Proteas attack than they did on their dominant tour of the West Indies last month.
Although, their power packed middle order, led by Tim David, was again able to show their destructiveness.
Meanwhile, the bowlers success directly correlated in victories, with the least experienced member of the attack endearing himself further to selectors ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup.
Scroll down for every player’s rating from the Australia v South Africa T20 series.
Man almost impales himself on fence | 00:46
MITCHELL MARSH – 6
89 runs at 29.66, strike rate 156.14
13 off 7, 22 off 13 and 54 off 37
The skipper was back amongst the runs in the series finale, having not scored a half-century in 19 previous T20I innings.
He was back to his powerful best in Cairns, smashing five sixes, all over the leg side boundary.
Marsh would be disappointed not to have kicked on and made a big score in the decider, but it was a welcome turnaround in form after the South African quicks gave him headaches with straight deliveries in the first two matches.
TRAVIS HEAD – 2
26 runs at 8.66, strike rate 89.28
2 off 7, 5 off 8 and 19 off 18
An uncharacteristically down series from the dashing left-hander as he fell in usual fashion in Darwin, caught at short third and holing out off an Aiden Markram half-tracker.
Markram then got him a second time in Cairns, top edging a sweep off a low full toss down leg side.
Head returned to the side having sat out the white-ball leg of the West Indies tour, but was out of sorts after his break from short form break.
Marsh hits 6 on very 1st ball! | 00:29
JOSH INGLIS – 1
0 runs at 0, strike rate 0
0 off 1 and 0 off 1
2 catches
Two golden ducks as well missing the second game with the flu will mean Australia’s first-choice white-ball gloveman will be eager to quickly forget this nightmare series in the top end.
In game one, he was caught at point as a result an errant cut shot off the bowling of left arm spinner George Linde, and then was knocked over in Cairns having been beaten for pace by Corbin Bosch.
CAMERON GREEN – 5
49 runs at 24.50, strike rate 188.46
35 off 13, 9 off 7 and 9 off 8
After winning player of the series honours in the West Indies, Green continued his sublime T20 form in the series opener.
His 35 in the opening match in Darwin was exquisite, full of some of the best ball striking of his career before skying a slog off Lungi Ngidi slower ball.
Green would have been kicking himself for not cashing in further as he then missed out in the last two games.
David IGNITES Australia with a rapid 83 | 04:43
TIM DAVID – 9
133 runs at 66.50, strike rate 175
83 off 52, 50 off 24 and 17 off 9
David is in the form of his life in national colours, relishing a role higher up the order that was carried over from the West Indies tour.
His 83 in the first match lifted Australia to a winning total, while his half-century in his second outing in Darwin kept the hosts run chase hopes alive.
The way he took down the likes of Kagiso Rabada, in particular, at times was mightily impressive, and he has enhanced his reputation more than any other Australian in recent times.
MITCHELL OWEN – 2
10 runs at 6, strike rate 58.82
2 off 4 and 8 off 13
After an excellent start to his international career in the Caribbean, Owen crashed back down to earth against the South Africans.
The analysts identified a trend of being susceptible to left arm pace earlier in his innings, and twice he was knocked over by exciting teenage quick Kwena Maphaka.
His series was brought to a close after the second game in Darwin, and a possible ODI debut was put on pause, as he was later ruled out with concussion after topping edge a pull shot into his helmet.
Concussed Owen to miss rest of SA series | 00:25
GLENN MAXWELL – 8
79 runs at 39.50, strike rate 154
1 off 5, 16 off 10 and 62* off 36
3 wickets at 29.33, economy 8.80
1/29 off 4, 2/44 off 4 and 0/15 off 2
A match-winning knock on the series decider with the bat followed two impressive returns with the ball.
The veteran’s off spin seems to age like a fine wine and he has a knack for picking up key wickets, especially in the powerplay.
Opening the bowling in the first two games showed the versatility he adds to the Australian side, and then he showed in Cairns that there is simply no one else like him in the middle order after having opened the batting in four of five games in the West Indies.
AARON HARDIE – 1
1 off 2
0/33 off 2
Appearing in the final game of the series only, Hardie copped the Dewald Brevis with the ball and had a stinker with the bat.
After a good opening over with the new ball, Brevis launched four sixes in an over that conceded 27 runs when Hardie was reintroduced into the attack.
It was a tough night in Cairns for the West Australian all-rounder as he then had a brain fade with the bat, chipping Kagiso Rabada to long on in the same over as Tim David fell.
Maxwell’s FREAKISH catch: Best of 2025? | 00:47
ALEX CAREY – 5
26 off 18
1 stumping
Australia’s Test gloveman stepped in at the last minute for the second game in Darwin when Inglis fell ill to continue his white-ball resurgence this year.
Carey played his first short form international in four years and played a busy knock at number seven as well as a producing a typically tidy performance with the gloves.
After playing alongside Inglis in the ODI Champions Trophy earlier this year, but going without the gloves, Carey showed that Australia may be able to have the duo in their T20 squad too.
BEN DWARSHUIS – 8
5 wickets at 17.40, economy 7.25
3/26 off 4, 2/24 off 4 and 0/37
30 runs at 10, strike rate 93.75
17 off 19, 12 off 7 and 1 off 6
A strong showing, particularly in the first two matches, from the left armer, who has been a prolific BBL player for a long time.
Often talked about as a new ball swing bowler, Dwarshuis showed he has many more tricks to his bow in this series.
He did not take the new Kookaburra in any game, but was incredibly economical from first change and outside of the powerplay, and may have pushed himself further up the bowling pecking order as a result.
Also, showed aptitude with the bat in the series opener to stick with a rampaging Tim David.
BIG HITS: Brevis’ record-breaking 125* | 04:17
NATHAN ELLIS – 6
3 wickets at 25, economy 9.37
0/44 off 4 and 3/31 off 4
A chalk and cheese two games for Ellis as the skilful right arm seamer endured a rough night in the series opener before bouncing back emphatically in Cairns.
Missed the second game, and then reminded everyone why he was fourth in the queue behind Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood at the last T20 World Cup, dismissing the dangerous Brevis with smart use of his slower short balls.
His economy rate can often be skewed by the fact he does most of his work at the death, regularly bowling two of the last three overs of an innings.
SEAN ABBOTT – 2
0/44 off 4
Abbott replaced Ellis for the second match of the series, but had a tough night.
The right-armer copped a bit of tap, as all the Australian bowlers, bar Dwarshuis, did in the second game in Darwin.
But this series likely showed that Abbott, who has been a regular in white ball squads in recent years, may be falling behind the likes of Dwarshuis in the pecking order.
Bob Simpson passes away, aged 89 | 00:38
ADAM ZAMPA – 7
5 wickets at 20.60, economy 8.58
2/33 off 4, 1/46 off 4 and 2/24 off 4
Two strong performances bookended a series that included one poor night when a dewy ball and a rampant Brevis caused Zampa problems after he put down a high ball to hand Lhuan-dre Pretorius a lifeline.
He was good in game one, but was superb in the decider, putting the clamps on during the middle overs in Cairns.
Zampa’s good figures often correlate with Australian success, and this series was no exception.
JOSH HAZLEWOOD – 7
6 wickets at 18.83, economy 9.41
3/27 off 4, 1/56 off 4 and 2/30 off 4
Like Zampa, Australia’s fortunes often parallel Hazlewood’s and he was impressive in games one and three.
The only member of the big three present in this series started in superb fashion, but uncharacteristically missed his mark and copped some harsh treatment in the second game, conceding the most expensive spell of his T20I career.
He bounced back superbly in Cairns, finding the edge of the dangerous Aiden Markram in the first over and also slamming the brakes on the South Africans in the middle of the innings.
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