Abu Dhabi, Oct 23 (IANS): A clinical bowling performance from Australia restricted South Africa to a below-par 118/9 in 20 overs in a Group 1 match of Super 12 in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium here on Saturday. Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Adam Zampa claimed two wickets each while Glenn Maxwell and Pat Cummins scalped a wicket apiece. Barring Aiden Markrams 40 off 36 balls, no other batter from South Africa crossed the 20-run mark.

Pushed into batting first, captain Temba Bavuma took back-to-back boundaries on drives against Mitchell Starc in the opening over. But in the next over, Bavuma's middle stump was sent cartwheeling by Glenn Maxwell. Josh Hazlewood struck with his first ball of the day, forcing Rassie van der Dussen to nick one behind to keeper Matthew Wade. Hazlewood came back in his second over to take out Quinton de Kock, with the batter trying to scoop but the ball dropped onto the stumps.

South Africa's slide continued as Heinrich Klassen was caught at backward point off Pat Cummins. Leg-spinner Adam Zampa struck twice in the 14th over, trapping David Miller lbw followed by Dwaine Pretorius edging behind. With Keshav Maharaj run-out in a mix-up, there was no stopping South Af'ica's meltdown with the bat.

Markram stood tall amidst the ruins with a fighting 40. He began with a punch off Cummins followed by finding the gap through cover off Mitchell Starc, cutting Maxwell through point, and hammered Hazlewood over deep mid-wicket for the first six of the innings. Markram looked set to give South Africa a flourish in the end. But he flicked Starc straight to deep mid-wicket in the 18th over. Despite Kagiso Rabada using the long handle at the end, South Africa 'ouldn't cross the 120-mark.

Brief scores: South Africa 118/9 in 20 overs (Aiden Markram 40, Kagiso Rabada 19 not out; Josh Hazlewood 2/19, Adam Zampa 2/21) against Australia