DUBAI – Australia beat South Africa by five wickets at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday in a nail-biting clash.
They chased down the total of 119 for the loss of five wickets in the final over with Marcus Stoinis hitting eight off Dwaine Pretorius s final over.
Josh Hazlewood led an inspired bowling effort that restricted South Africa to 118 for nine in the opening match of the Super 12s at the Twenty20 World Cup.
South Africa lost their top three batsmen, including skipper Temba Bavuma, with a score of 23 after being invited to bat first in Abu Dhabi.
Glenn Maxwell, an off-spinner who shared the new ball with Starc, bowled Bavuma for 12 and Hazlewood struck twice in his first two overs and finished with figures of 2-19 from his four.
Number four Aiden Markram played a lone hand with his 40 off 36 deliveries before falling to Mitchell Starc.
Markram kept losing partners with Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller departing for 13 and 16.
Teams
Australia: Aaron Finch (capt), David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (capt), Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi
