AUS Vs SA, Live Cricket Scores, T20 World Cup 2021: South Africa Fight Back, Australia 38/3

The Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup 2021 gets underway with the Australia vs South Africa match in Abu Dhabi Saturday afternoon (3:30 PM IST). This AUS vs SA is a Group 1 clash. It is a pool of heavyweights and features defending champions West Indies and England as well. Australia have been unimpressive coming into the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. While David Warner's poor form doesn't seem to be ending, the Australians have lost their last four T20 international series. In the warm-ups, Aaron Finch's team scored a narrow win against New Zealand and were then routed by India. The South Africans have looked good so far. The absence of AB De Villiers and Faf du Plessis have not been felt. South Africa have won nine of their last 10 T20 internationals and won both their warm-up games against Afghanistan and Pakistan. While South Africa have the upper hand on current form, Australia have a good record against South Africa, head-to-head. On the strength of Finch and Warner's batting, Australia won the last T20 series in South Africa in 2020. Both Finch and Warner are now struggling for runs. Follow here live cricket scores of AUS vs SA in Abu Dhabi.

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6:08 PM IST: Drinks

Dwaine Pretorius gets his first over. Four singles. 28 runs and one wicket in the last five overs. Steve Smith (19 off 17) and Glenn Maxwell (5 off 6) looking to build a stand. Australia need 68 runs in 60 balls. AUS - 51/3 (10)

6:04 PM IST: Smith Survives

Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj operating in tandem. Three singles then a four, hit by Steve Smith, as Shamsi concede eight in his second over. And Smith almost plays on one off the last ball. AUS - 47/3 (9)

5:58 PM IST: Three Down

Keshav Maharaj continues and he gets the wicket of Mitchell Marsh (11 off 17), caught by Rassie van der Dussen at deep. Glenn Maxwell joins Steven Smith in the middle. AUS - 38/3 (7.5)

5:55 PM IST: Tidy Over

Spin from both ends. Tabraiz Shamsi with his first over. Five from it - a double and three singles. AUS - 33/2 (7)

5:51 PM IST: Spin On

Bowling change and spin on. Keshav Maharaj leaks five in his first over -- three singles and a double. AUS - 28/2 (6)

5:48 PM IST: Warner Out

Kagiso Rabada continues. David Warner hits the first ball for a four, then a dot. Rabada gets the wicket of Warner (14 off 15), caught by Heinrich Klaasen.  Steven Smith is the new batter for Australia. Seven runs and a wicket. AUS - 23/2 (5)

5:43 PM IST: Fiery Nortje

Anrich Nortje with his second over. Mitchell Marsh hits the first for a four, then negotiates the remaining five with some trouble. 16/1 (4).

5:38 PM IST: Warner Fours

Kagiso Rabada continues. David Warner hits the first and fourth balls for fours. Eight from the over. AUS - 12/1 (2)

5:33 PM IST: Fight On

Anrich Nortje with the second over. Three dots to David Warner, and at some pace. A single, then Aaron Finch is gone for a five-ball duck, caught by Kagiso Rabada at third man. Mitchell Marsh is the new batter. Two runs and a wicket in the over. AUS - 4/1 (2)

5:27 PM IST: Chase Begins

Kagiso Rabada with the first over. A dot to David Warner, then a single to cover. Four dots to Aaron Finch, interspersed with a wide. Two runs from the over. Target - 119

5:12 PM IST: Innings Break

Mitchell Starc with the final over. Kagiso Rabada connects the second ball and it sails over long on boundary for the second six of the innings. A single, then Anrich Nortje (2 off 3) holes out at cover, caught by Aaron Finch. Tabraiz Shamsi is the last man. One sneaky bye and Rabada returns to face the final ball. He plays it deep mid-wicket and returns for a second. Dives and just make it. 35 runs in the last five overs. Rabada makes 19 off 23. SA - 118/9 (20).

This is South Africa's second-lowest score in T20 World Cup, after 116/9 against India in 2007.

5:04 PM IST: 1/17 For Cummins

Pat Cummins with the penultimate over. Five from it. Cummins' figures: 1/17. In the previous over, Mitchell Starc concedes three runs for one wicket. SA 106/8 (19) 

4:56 PM IST: Eight Down

Mitchell Starc strikes with the first ball in his third over. Aiden Markram (40 off 36), caught at deep mid-wicket by Glenn Maxwell. Anrich Nortje joins fellow pacer Kagiso Rabada in the middle. SA - 98/8 (17.1)

4:54 PM IST: 2/19 For Hazlewood 

Josh Hazlewood returns for his final over, Aiden Markram launches the first ball for a six, over mid-wicket boundary. A wide, then a single. A dot to Kagiso Rabada, and a four. Straight. A yorker to the left-hander for a dot. Another one to finish the over. 12 from it. Hazlewood's figures: 2/19. SA - 98/7 (17)

4:48 PM IST: 2/21 For Zampa

Adam Zampa completes his spell. Three singles from his final over. 2/21 for him today. 23 runs in the last five overs with Aiden Markram (33 off 34) scoring the bulk of the runs. SA - 86/7 (16)

4:43 PM IST: Run Out

It's going haywire for South Africa. Keshav Maharaj (0 off 2) is run out. The Proteas trying to steal a misfield off the third ball, but end up paying the price. No time to get back for Maharaj. Bullet throw from Glenn Maxwell at long on and Matthew Wade does the rest. Kagiso Rabada is the new man. SA - 83/7 (14.3)

4:38 PM IST: Six Down

Two in Adam Zampa's third over. Dwaine Pretorius (1 off 2), caught behind. Thick edge and no issues for Matthew Wade. Five runs from the over. 28 runs and two wickets in the last five overs. Keshav Maharaj is the new batter. SA - 82/6 (14)

4:36 PM IST: Five Down

Adam Zampa with his third over. A single to Aiden Markram, then a double as David Miller plays the second to cover. And Miller is given out, LBW. He takes the review but a wasted one. 34-run stand broken. Goes for 16 off 18. Dwaine Pretorius is the new batter. SA - 80/5 (13.3)

4:27 PM IST: 1/24 For Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell finishes his spell. Eight from his fourth over, including a four off the last ball. Aiden Markram plays it to the vacant backward point. Maxwell's figures: 1/24. SA - 71/4 (12)

4:22 PM IST: Tidy Over

Adam Zampa returns for his second. Four from the over. Aiden Markram and David Miller building a stand. 18 in 19 so far for the fifth wicket. SA - 63/4 (11)

4:17 PM IST: Halfway Through

Glenn Maxwell with his third over. Another tidy over from the spinner. A double and three singles. SA - 59/4 (10)

4:12 PM IST: Makram Holds Key

Mitchell Starc returns for his second over. Aiden Markram hits the third ball for a four, his second, through cover. Eight from the over. SA - 54/4 (9)

4:09 PM IST: Four Down

Pat Cummins continues. And another wicket for Australia. Heinrich Klaasen (13 off 13) goes. Top-edge off the last ball, and caught by Steve Smith at backward point. David Miller is the new man. SA - 46/4 (8)

4:04 PM IST: Zampa On

Aaron Finch introduces Adam Zampa, his fifth bowler today. Ten from it, including a four off the fifth, hit by Heinrich Klaasen to mid-wicket boundary. SA - 39/3 (7)

3:39 PM IST: Powerplay Over

Pat Cummins gets his first over. Brilliant start. Three dots. Aiden Markram then hits the fourth ball for a four, through cover. And two singles. SA - 29/3 (6)

3:55 PM IST: Maiden-wicket

And wicket maiden of Josh Hazlewood. Stunning over and it will lift Aussie spirits, considering their not-so-ideal build-up to the tournament.

3:52 PM IST: Bizarre Dismissal

Josh Hazlewood continues, and he removes Quinton de Kock (7 off 12), bowled. The Proteas opener watches the ball rolls into the wickets and the bails fall off. What a mess. Trying to be cheeky and play a reverse flick the ball over short fine leg, but ends up playing the ball into the stumps after it hit his body. Heinrich Klaasen is the new man. SA - 23/3 (4.1)

3:42 PM IST: Second Wicket

Josh Hazlewood gets his first over. And the big wicket with the first ball. A beauty to send Rassie van der Dussen (2 off 3) back. A hint of movement and faint nick. Caught behind. Aiden Markram joins Quinton de Kock in the middle. SA - 16/2 (2.1)

3:38 PM IST: First Wicket

Glenn Maxwell shares the new ball. Two singles, then the wicket. Temba Bavuma (12 off 7), bowled. Rassie van der Dussen is the new batter for the Proteas. SA - 13/1 (1.3)

3:35 PM IST: Expensive First Over

Mitchell Starc with the new ball. Temba Bavuma plays the first ball to cover for a double. A dot, then back-to-back fours. Sublime timing, both through cover. A single off the fifth to strike to Quinton de Kock. A dot to end the over. 11 from it.

3:24 PM IST: Match officials and players are ready for the first Super 12 match. First, national anthems.

3:09 PM IST: Playing XIs

Australia: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steven Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi.

3:04 PM IST: Toss

Australia win the toss and opt to field first against South Africa.