David, Hazlewood combine for Australia's 9th straight T20I win

DARWIN, Australia, Aug 10 (Agencies): Tim David crunched eight sixes in a blistering 83 from 52 balls to help Australia beat South Africa by 17 runs in their opening Twenty20 clash in Darwin on Sunday.
After being sent in, the hosts were all out for 178 on the final delivery of their 20 overs in the first game of international cricket in Australia's tropical north for 17 years.
This was Australia's record ninth straight win - their longest winning streak in T20Is, surpassing eight wins between February 2024 and June 2024. Australia pulled off their lowest successful defence against South Africa despite losing six wickets inside the first eight overs. Cameron Green (35 off 13) was the only other batsman to get going, with left-arm quick Kwena Maphaka bagging 4-20 as South Africa bowled out Australia for the first time in a T20. But David's phenomenal innings proved enough, with the Proteas restricted to 161-9 in reply. That was despite a battling 71 from Ryan Rickelton, who fell to a spectacular Glenn Maxwell catch on the boundary. Josh Hazlewood took 3-27 and Ben Dwarshuis 3-26.
"Great way to start the series," skipper Mitchell Marsh said after Australia's ninth T20 victory in a row.
"Certainly we want guys like David to come out and bat the way he did, he was the difference."
Backing up from a recent 5-0 series sweep against the West Indies, Australia signalled their intent early with Marsh slamming a six off the first ball. But he lost opening partner Travis Head (two) and Josh Inglis (golden duck) in the space of three deliveries and then skied Kagiso Rabada on 13, with Maphaka taking a tricky catch before Green and David let loose.