Glenn Maxwell played the hero as Australia secured a nail-biting two-wicket victory with just one ball to spare in the third and final T20 against South Africa in Cairns on 16 August 2025.
Maxwell finished unbeaten on 62 from 36 balls, taking ten off Lungi Ngidi’s final over to extend Australia’s unbeaten run in T20 series to seven matches. Captain Mitchell Marsh had laid a solid foundation with his first T20 half-century in 20 appearances, helping Australia chase down a target of 173 set by South Africa. Dewald Brevis, who hit a century in game two, starred again for the visitors with a 53 off 26 balls, including six sixes, three of which cleared the ground.
Maxwell remained calm under pressure as wickets fell around him, farming the strike effectively with Adam Zampa at the end to finish the penultimate over. “It was a little bit nerve-wracking out there,” Maxwell said after receiving the player of the match award. “When we lost a couple of wickets, I had to take on the majority of the striking. The key was staying calm, watching the ball, and controlling the end while taking advantage of any loose deliveries.”
With the ball, Nathan Ellis (3/31), Zampa (2/24) and Josh Hazlewood (2/30) performed strongly. Brevis had gone on the attack in the middle overs, smashing four sixes in one Aaron Hardie over, including a 120m strike over long-on that cleared the fence as a fan attempted a spectacular catch. Maxwell later took a superb diving catch to dismiss Brevis.
Having retired from ODIs, Maxwell will miss the upcoming three 50-over matches against South Africa but is already focused on next year’s T20 World Cup. “This series win against a quality South African side is fantastic for our confidence,” he said. “We have 13 or 14 internationals before the World Cup, and this group is building something really nicely. It’s a very fun dressing room, and I’m loving every minute with them.”
