\u201cGood game of cricket, ended up on the wrong side unfortunately. Small margins. Not enough on the board tonight, but we fought well with the ball. Not the way we wanted to end, but still some good things to take from this series,\u201d Markram said after the match<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Chasing 173, Australia were reeling at 122\/6 when Maxwell took charge, smashing eight fours and two sixes in a 36-ball rescue act. He held his nerve to hit the winning runs off the penultimate delivery, sending the sell-out Cairns crowd into raptures during the venue\u2019s first-ever men\u2019s T20I. Earlier, captain Mitchell Marsh had struck a 37-ball 54, adding 66 with Travis Head to give Australia early momentum.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
South Africa looked in control midway, claiming three wickets in 13 balls to put pressure on the chase, but Maxwell\u2019s calculated hitting in the closing overs shifted the momentum back to the hosts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With the bat, South Africa posted 172\/7 after being asked to bat first. Brevis top-scored with 53 off 26 balls, continuing his fine form after a century in the previous game. Despite losing Markram in the first over, Lhuan-dre Pretorius kept the runs flowing in the powerplay with 24, while Brevis\u2019 explosive hitting lifted them to 108\/3 by the 11th over, with 200 looking possible.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Markram also praised teammate Dewald Brevis, calling him a \u201cspecial player\u201d following another standout knock.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With the bat, South Africa posted 172\/7 after being asked to bat first. Brevis top-scored with 53 off 26 balls, continuing his fine form after a century in the previous game. Despite losing Markram in the first over, Lhuan-dre Pretorius kept the runs flowing in the powerplay with 24, while Brevis\u2019 explosive hitting lifted them to 108\/3 by the 11th over, with 200 looking possible.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But Brevis\u2019 dismissal, miscuing a slower ball from Nathan Ellis to long-on, proved decisive. From that point, Australia pulled things back through Ellis (2\/29), Adam Zampa, and tight death bowling, restricting South Africa to just 64 runs in the final nine overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n