1st T20I, Australia beat SA after defending 178: Key stats
What's the story
Australia won the 1st T20I of the three-match series against South Africa at Marrara Cricket Ground, Darwin. The hosts successfully defended 178 despite a half-century from Ryan Rickelton. The Proteas were restricted to 161/9, with Josh Hazlewood and Ben Dwarshuis taking three wickets. Earlier, Tim David smacked a solid 83 after Australia slumped to 75/6. The young Kwena Maphaka took a record four-wicket haul.
Start
Flying start from Australia
Australia were off to a flier after SA elected to field. Skipper Mitchell Marsh hammered a six on the very first ball off Lungi Ngidi. While the first over produced 14 runs, Kagiso Rabada dismissed Travis Head. Australia lost Josh Inglis as well, but Cameron Green bashed the SA bowlers. Although Marsh and Green departed, Australia were 71/4 after six overs.
Green
Green gets past 500 T20I runs
Green hammered a 13-ball 35 (4 fours and 3 sixes) before falling to Ngidi. He has been in sublime form this year. His T20I scores in 2025 read 51, 56*, 11, 55*, 32, and 35. Green, now Australia's mainstay all-rounder, has raced past 500 T20I runs. In 19 T20Is, he has racked up 503 runs at a strike rate of 162.25.
Information
Two more blows after record powerplay
As mentioned, Australia were 71/4 after six overs, the second-highest powerplay total for Australia against South Africa, as per Cricbuzz. However, SA removed both Mitchell Owen and Glenn Maxwell before the 100-run mark.
David
Tim David's audacious knock
While Australia kept on losing wickets, Tim David held his end. His audacious six straight past Kagiso Rabada earned praise. With Australia were down to 75/6, David added 59 runs with Ben Dwarshuis, which took the side past 130. He propelled Australia past 160 along with Nathan Ellis. David hammered a 52-ball 83 (4 fours and 8 sixes) before falling to Kwena Maphaka.
Feats
David attains these feats
During his stay, David completed 350 sixes in T20 cricket. He has now raced to 355 sixes from 285 matches. David also got to 5,500 T20 runs in his 256th innings. Over 1,400 of David's T20 runs have come in internationals. In 58 T20Is, he owns 1,416 runs at a strike rate of 167.37. In Darwin, David slammed his seventh T20I half-century.
Maphaka
Maphaka enters record books
In a bid to make further inroads into Australia's line-up, SA introduced Maphaka as their third-change bowler in the seventh over. The seamer lived up to the expectation, cleaning up Mitchell Owen. He then dismissed Ben Dwarshuis, the dangerous David, and Adam Zampa. His 4/20 are now the best bowling figures for South Africa against Australia in T20I cricket, as per Cricbuzz.
Record
Other notable records for Maphaka
This was also Maphaka's career-best figures in T20I cricket. Playing his ninth T20I, the left-arm pacer owns 10 wickets at an average of 28.00. He has taken 44 wickets in 38 T20s at an average of under 28. According to Cricbuzz, at 19 years and 124 days, Maphaka has become the youngest seamer with a four-wicket haul in T20I cricket among the full-member sides.
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Other notable numbers
As per Cricbuzz, South Africa bowled out Australia for the first time in T20I cricket. Meanwhile, Australia hammered 13 sixes, the joint-most for them against the Proteas in a T20I innings, with 13 in Durban in 2023.