Australia earned a thrilling final-ball victory over South Africa in the second Twenty20 international on Sunday, chasing down a target of 204 to win by five wickets and level the three-game series at 1-1.
Australia’s chase in Johannesburg was powered by a brilliant partnership of 161 between David Warner, who made 77 off 40 balls, and Glenn Maxwell, who got 75 off 43.
Maxwell fell in the penultimate over, caught by AB de Villiers off Chris Morris. Warner was then bowled by Kagiso Rabada in the first ball of the last over, which left the new batsmen, Mitchell Marsh, and James Faulkner needing 11 off the final five balls to win.
Helped by two wides in that last over from Rabada, the batsmen scrambled home, running two off the last delivery to reach 205 for five, and clinch a victory that appeared to be out of their reach at 32 for three in the sixth over.
The final match of the series takes place in Cape Town on 9 March, before both sides travel to India for the ICC World Twenty20 tournament. South Africa will face England, the defending champions Sri Lanka, West Indies and a qualifier in group 1, while Australia face the hosts, New Zealand, Pakistan and a qualifier in group 2.
