Australia clinched the Twenty20 series against South Africa 2-1 after winning a hard-fought decider in Sydney by two wickets off the penultimate ball on Sunday.

Chasing a target of 146 after South Africa had been pegged back following a blistering opening stand between Quinton de Kock (48) and Reeza Hendricks (49), Australia never looked in complete control but were guided home by Cameron White's unbeaten 41.

Needing only three runs off the final over from former Hampshire star Kyle Abbott, Australia made things tougher for themselves by only taking one run off the first three deliveries while also losing Sean Abbott lbw for five.

That left the hosts on 144 for eight with new man Cameron Boyce facing, but the 25-year-old leg-spinner - who had not been called on to bat in his opening three T20Is - was able to scamper a single to get White back on strike and the former captain struck the next ball to midwicket for the series-winning run.

Aside from White, only three other Australian players managed to get into double figures - skipper Aaron Finch (33), ex-Hampshire all-rounder Glenn Maxwell (23) and Ben Dunk (14) - as South Africa duo David Wiese and Robin Peterson kept things interesting with three wickets apiece.

Earlier, the Proteas had made a flying start after being sent into bat at Stadium Australia as they sought to bounce back from their seven-wicket mauling in the second T20 on Friday.

In that match the tourists could only make 101 for seven off their 20 overs, but this time De Kock and Hendricks gave them a great platform to build on by running up 75 for the first wicket in 8.3 overs.

De Kock produced the fireworks, hitting five fours and two sixes in his 27-ball stay, but his departure, caught behind off Pat Cummins the ball after striking the bowler for a maximum, allowed Australia to claw their opponents back when a much larger total looked likely.

Hendricks went after facing 48 balls and hitting five fours, while David Miller provided some momentum with an unbeaten 34, but otherwise the remaining South Africa batsmen were kept to single digits.

James Faulkner followed up his three for 25 on Friday with similarly impressive figures of three for 28, helping to limit South Africa to 145 for five and leading him to be named the player of the series.