Australia star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell equalled a historic record of former opener David Warner as he produced a scintillating performance in the third T20I against South Africa on Saturday, August 16. With Australia’s backs against the wall, Glenn Maxwell slammed 62 from 36 balls and helped his team chase 173 with two wickets in hand.
Glenn Maxwell came when the Aussies were in trouble at 88/4 after 10.5 overs. He hit a four off the first ball he faced and then two more in the next over. While wickets fell at the other end, as the Proteas eyed a comeback, Glenn Maxwell played a gem of a knock to take his team home with a ball to go.
The 173-run chase is Australia’s highest chase at home, going past their 158-run chase against South Africa at Brisbane in 2009. Meanwhile, Glenn Maxwell has equalled David Warner in a major record list and has surpassed MS Dhoni and Babar Azam in another one. Glenn Maxwell was adjudged the Player of the Match for his scintillating effort, as he won the honour for the record-equalling 12th time.
Most Player of the Match awards for Australia in T20Is:
12 – Glenn Maxwell (124 matches)
12 – David Warner (110 matches)
9 – Shane Watson (58 matches)
8 – Aaron Finch (103 matches)
8 – Adam Zampa (103 matches)
5 – Mitchell Marsh (73 matches)
Meanwhile, Glenn Maxwell went past former India cricketer MS Dhoni and Pakistan star Babar Azam in the list of most Player of the Match awards in international cricket. Glenn Maxwell’s 24 Man of the Match awards in international cricket are the joint-second most. He is now behind only Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Malik and Daniel Vettori, all of whom have 25 such honours. Maxwell is now tied with Jos Buttler, Stephen Fleming, Imran Khan, Gary Kirsten and Graeme Smith.
Glenn Maxwell’s masterclass 62 seals series win for Australia in the 3rd T20I in a thrilling chase
Glenn Maxwell guided Australia home in another thrilling run chase to seal the three-match T20I series against South Africa on Saturday, August 16, at Cazaly’s Stadium, Cairns. The all-rounder remained unbeaten on 62* (36), smashing eight fours and two sixes as he helped his team chase down 173 on the penultimate ball of the third T20I.
Courtesy of his performance, Maxwell was adjudged Player of the Match as Australia emerged victorious by 2-1 in the three-match rubber. Apart from him, captain Mitchell Marsh also played a breathtaking innings of 54 (37), clobbering three fours and five sixes. Australia got off to a perfect start with Marsh adding 66 runs for the first wicket with Travis Head (19 off 8) off 48 balls.
However, South Africa managed to claw their way back into the game with regular strikes as Corbin Bosch (3/26), Kagiso Rabada (2/32) and Kwena Maphaka (2/36) chipped in with wickets. Australia were again cruising at 142/6 after 16 overs but a couple of tight overs from Bosch, including a double-wicket maiden penultimate over, brought the equation down to ten needed off the last six balls.
Earlier, Dewald Brevis continued from where he left off in the second T20I as he scored his second successive fifty-plus score. Brevis walked to the crease at the fall of Lhuan-dre Pretorius’ wicket, which left South Africa on 32/2. The youngster didn’t waste much time getting into the groove as he launched Ben Dwarshius for a massive 100-metre six over deep backward square leg.
He further took on Josh Hazlewood to move into the 20s, collecting a boundary and his second six in the over. However, it was Aaron Hardie who received the worst treatment from Brevis as the 22-year-old clobbered him for four consecutive sixes to bring up his half-century off 22 balls.
Brevis added 61 runs for the fourth wicket off 29 balls with Tristan Stubbs (25 off 23) as the duo took their team’s score past 100. As Brevis (53 off 26) set his sights on another century, Nathan Ellis (3/31) came to Australia’s rescue and surprised him with a slower bouncer, which he hit towards Glenn Maxwell at long on.
Following his dismissal, Rassie van der Dussen (38* off 26) gave a perfect finish to the Proteas’ innings to help them finish on 172/7 in 20 overs. However after the win Australian skipper Mitchell marsh minced no words in praising Glenn Maxwell for his blistering knock stating that Australia is lucky to have Glenn Maxwell as a player in their team.
Glenn Maxwell is a world-class player- Mitchell Marsh
Australia’s T20 captain Mitchell Marsh heaped praise on veteran player Glenn Maxwell, who returned to his top form during the third and final T20I against South Africa on Saturday, securing a 2-1 series win.
Chasing 173 for victory, Australia was struggling at 122/6 before the hard-hitting Maxwell took control with an unbeaten 62 off 36 balls, featuring eight fours and two sixes at a strike-rate of 172.22. He kept his composure to hit the winning runs off the second-last ball of the chase, celebrating a remarkable rescue act.
“Obviously, it’s always nice to win the close ones in T20 cricket, and it was a little bit unorthodox, but I’m very thankful that Max got us over the line. You never know what’s going to happen, that’s for sure, but he’s a world-class player, and he’s been so flexible. I think he’s batted in three different positions in each game and we’re just lucky to have him, he does everything and he was class tonight,” said Marsh after the match.
The man of the match Mitchell Marsh admitted it was ‘nerve-wracking’ being out there and appreciated guiding the team to victory.
“It was a little bit nerve-racking. I think when we lost a couple of wickets in a row, Corbin Bosch bowled a brilliant over to sort of keep the run rate sort of near nine or ten and we were down the two wickets and I probably had to do the majority of the striking but it was it was nice to get a couple out of the middle right near the end.”
Player of the series Tim David acknowledged he might not have received the award if not for Maxwell’s ‘blinding innings.’
“I think obviously without Maxi playing a blinding innings tonight I wouldn’t be standing up here, so there’s been contributions from everyone in our team throughout this series and we’ve had so much fun,’ said David.
Meanwhile, after the T20I series, Australia and South Africa will next take on each other in a three-match ODI series beginning from August 19.With this win, Australia have also sealed the T20I series 2-1. They have not lost an international match at Cairns, winning five Tests, two ODIs and now a T20I too.
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