Australia delivered a commanding all-round performance to defeat South Africa by 8 wickets with 1.5 overs remaining at the Perth Stadium, and in the process officially booked their place in the knockout stage of the T10 World Cup 2026.

Batting first, South Africa posted 111/6 in their 10 overs, a total that looked competitive on a good batting surface but ultimately fell short against Australia’s firepower. The innings began steadily with Quinton de Kock (16 off 9) and Ryan Rickelton (10 off 6) providing early momentum, but regular wickets prevented South Africa from fully capitalizing on the powerplay.

The backbone of the innings was Temba Bavuma, who played a fluent knock of 29 off 14 balls, striking at over 200 and anchoring the middle overs. Cameos from Wayne Parnell (22 off 10) and Aiden Markram (15 off 6)* helped South Africa cross the 110 mark, but Australia’s disciplined bowling kept the total in check.

Chasing 112, Australia made the target look comfortable. Although David Warner (19 off 9) departed early, the innings was completely taken over by Mitch Marsh, who produced one of the most impactful knocks of the tournament. Marsh smashed 50 off just 25 balls, his innings packed with clean hitting and smart placement, ensuring Australia stayed well ahead of the required rate throughout the chase.

Marsh found excellent support from Matt Renshaw, who finished the game with a blazing 37 off 15 balls*, accelerating effortlessly at the death. Australia reached 112/2 in 8.1 overs, sealing a dominant win and underlining their title credentials. Marsh’s contribution with both bat and ball earned him a deserved Man of the Match award.