Keshav Maharaj brought up an impressive spell during the 1st ODI against Australia to secure a win at Cairns.

His 5/33 in 10 overs quota has helped the side to post a 98-run victory to secure a 1-0 lead in the ODI series of the South Africa tour of Australia 2025.

Batting first, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton opened the innings while Josh Hazlewood opened the bowling attack.

The opener duo went on to score 56 runs in the powerplay and went on to score 92 runs for the first wicket.

With Head dismissing Rickelton for 33 runs, Markram went on to score 82 runs which included 9 fours, before walking back to dug out after lost his wicket to Dwarshuis.

With both Bavuma and Breetzke went on to smash fifties, Breetzke lost his wicket to Zampa for 57 runs while Stubbs and Dewald Brevis got dismissed cheaply for 0 and 6.

While Bavuma got dismissed by Dwarshuis for 65 runs, Maharaj and Mulder added 13 and 31* runs as South Africa scored 296 runs for 8 wickets.

Travis Head went on to pick four wickets while Ben Dwarshuis went on to dismiss 2 wickets and Adam Zampa has 1 dismissal.

In the pursuit of chasing 297 run target, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton went on to open the innings while Josh Hazlewood opened the bowling attack.

Despite Australia lost two wickets of Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne, they went on to score 67 runs in the powerplay.

Maharaj started his wrecking the Australian setup with Marnus Labuschagne’s dismissal for 1 run. He went on further dismiss Green, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey and Aaron Hardie for 3, 5, 0 and 4 respectively.

Despite Ben Dwarshuis showed some resistance scoring 33 runs, Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa’s 13 and 11 respectively, Australia scored only 198 runs losing all 10 wickets with South Africa claiming 98 run victory.

Keshav Maharaj was named the Player of the Match. Speaking on the post match conference, Maharaj said, “I made my debut in 2016 in Australia. Tried to utilise the conditions, wicket was sticky and tried to utilise and got the reward.”

“The boys spoke about it in the T20s, there was a little bit of turn and my life got a bit easier as Prenelan got the first wicket and he bowled well on debut. We have always been slow starters in series, it’s nice to put the front foot forward. Good batting display and quite clinical with the ball,” Keshav Maharaj concluded.

The second match of the ODI series will be played on August 22 at Great Barrier Reef ArenaQueensland.