Australia vs South Africa, 1st T20I - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

We all came to Darwin with a lot of uncertainty. How the pitch would play? What is a good score here? There were no clear answers and it was precisely why Markram chose to bowl at the toss after admitting that even they weren't sure of what to expect. Australia then came out with a bullying mindset. If it wasn't short of a length, it had to be punished. Batters were swinging to the boundary for fun and the same approach reduced them to 75/6. But, unlike most others, they didn't doubt or change their approach. They just found a way to tackle the crisis while not taking the foot off the pedal. Fortune did favour them for their bravoury as David got a few reprieves. Turns out the mindset was the difference between the two sides. One that always believed and backed their strategy, another that just didn't have a clear plan once they were put under pressure. The first chapter of return to Darwin was good fun. What's in store in the second? We will see you all on Tuesday. Take care!

Stats by Shashikant Singh

Nine consecutive wins for Australia - their longest winning streak in T20I, surpassing eight wins between February 2024 and June 2024.

This is also the sixth successive victory for Australia over South Africa in T20Is.

Mitch Marsh: Great way to start the series. I thought it was amazing defensive work with the ball. I didn't know that till you said it at the toss (9 wins in a row). You see that across teams in T20 cricket, they keep going and going, it is more about backing your execution than letting the game dictate, there are times where conditions will need you to bat through, but we certainly want guys like David to come out and bat the way he did, he was the difference. It was an outstanding effort from all our bowlers to keep us in the game and win it in the end.

Aiden Markram: It got close. We were pretty far from our best. Plenty of learning to do in the next 24 to 48 hours and try to do a lot of things better. (On Maphaka) Really good to watch, kept it simple and bowled with a lot of energy, great for the young guy to get it right on a night like this and hopefully he can run in like this for the rest of the series.

Tim David | Player of the Match: It was a pretty special win for the boys. We went pretty hard but there are not going to be many occasions when that many of our batters miss out, someone in the next one will get the runs. It has been pretty obvious with the way we have been playing (going hard every ball).

22:34 Local Time, 13:04 GMT, 18:34 IST: It's an 17-run win for the Aussies and David stole 27 runs after Stubbs put him down on 56. Australia have done this despite the outfield being drenched in dew. In T20 cricket, anything under 9 an over in a cakewalk when dew is around. Markram took Hazlewood for three fours in the first five balls of South Africa's response but the bowler had the last laugh in the final ball of the over. Young Lhuan-dre wanted to take it on and looked in the mood but Maxwell cut short his stay. Dwarshuis then troubled Brevis before getting him eventually. Stubbs was going pretty well but Rickleton was so sedate. With the 72-run stand threatening to get the visitors over the line, Marsh called on Hazlewood and his star bowler returned with a double-wicket over. Suddenly South Africa lost 4 wickets for 3 runs to lose the plot. Rickleton finally managed to hit a six off the 45th ball. He tried to catch up on the strike-rate but it was all too late in the end. Maxwell took a stunner to put the game in Australia's pocket.

Dwarshuis to Rabada, out Bowled!! You miss, I hit! Leg-cutting length delivery, Rabada slogs hard and misses, ball hits the stumps and Australia close the game. Rabada b Dwarshuis 10(6) [6s-1]

Dwarshuis to Rabada, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!

Dwarshuis to Kwena Maphaka, 1 run, short delivery, Maphaka looks to pull and gets a top edge that lands safely to the right of short fine leg

Dwarshuis to Kwena Maphaka, 2 runs, dropped! Angled into the pads, Maphaka swings to deep backward square leg. Zampa doesn't take the offering

Dwarshuis to Kwena Maphaka, no run, very full delivery, Maphaka drills it to mid-off

Kwena Maphaka, left handed bat, comes to the crease

Dwarshuis to Rickelton, out Caught by Maxwell!! Glenn Maxwell you beauty! He was just inches from the rope. Had to jump because it was a certain six. He caught it with both hands beyond the boundary but was quick enough to release the ball before his feet landed outside the rope. And he threw it such that the ball wasn't getting too far away from him. Recovered, jumped back into play again and pouched it like only he could. To do all this in a fraction of a second and make it look so cool is just unbelievable. Great awareness of the rope, his position, the control of the lob and the spring in his steps. Insane stuff! So Rickelton thought he would belt this over long-on for six, hit it pretty well. Was surely a six but Maxi plucked it beyond the rope yet ensured this was out. Rickelton c Maxwell b Dwarshuis 71(55) [4s-7 6s-1]

Dwarshuis to Rickelton, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Maxi has taken a stunner but they check if it was clean.

Dwarshuis to Rickelton, no run, oh Rickelton throught the shot yesterday, ball arrived today. Brilliant slower ball into the wicket at 112.8kph, was the leg-cutter, Rickelton mistimed it onto the pitch

21 needed off the final over. Marsh wipes the ball with the towel before handing it to the bowler

Ben Dwarshuis [3.0-0-23-1] is back into the attack