South Africa is left to reflect on missed opportunities after a critical dropped catch of Tim David during Australia’s inaugural T20I win of the series in Darwin. David, who was on 56, was let off the hook by Tristan Stubbs at the boundary, and he capitalised immediately, hitting consecutive sixes immediately following. Although he was dropped again while on 83, he was dismissed on the very next ball, ending his innings at a time when Australia was struggling at 3-30 and contributing significantly to their total of 164 after they were bowled out for 178.
Commentators praised David’s innings as a game-saver for Australia, with Kerry O’Keefe hailing it as “exhilarating” and Mark Waugh acknowledging his high-quality ball striking amidst pressure. Kwena Maphaka stood out as the best bowler for South Africa, finishing with impressive figures of 4-20.
In their chase, South Africa had a solid foundation at 3-120 in the 15th over. However, a remarkable performance from Josh Hazlewood shifted the momentum in Australia’s favour, as he claimed two wickets in quick succession, removing both Tristan Stubbs and George Linde. Following Hazlewood’s breakthrough, Adam Zampa further destabilised South Africa’s innings by taking two more wickets in the subsequent over.
As the match reached a tense conclusion, South Africa needed 21 runs off the final over, with Ryan Rickelton holding the fort on 71 runs from 53 balls. In a dramatic moment, Rickelton aimed for the mid-wicket boundary, but Glenn Maxwell executed a brilliant catch, managing to throw the ball up in the air before securing it back inside the boundary. Ultimately, South Africa could only muster 161 runs, leaving them short of their target as they succumbed to Australia’s bowling attack.
Waugh concluded that while Australia delivered a “good professional display”, South Africa’s failure to convert crucial moments proved costly in the tightly contested match.