Dewald Brevis has become the youngest South African to score a century in men’s T20Is after smacking a 41-ball hundred during Tuesday’s comprehensive 53-run victory over Australia in Darwin.
The 22-year-old clobbered the highest score by a Proteas player in T20I history at Marrara Stadium, an unbeaten 125 from 56 balls that featured 12 boundaries and eight sixes.
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The Johannesburg product, playing just his ninth T20I, steered South Africa towards 7-218, the nation’s highest total against Australia in the game’s shortest format, receiving support from fellow youngster Tristan Stubbs (31 from 22 balls), with the duo combining for a 126-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Australia never looked like reeling in the daunting 219-run target, bowled out for 165 in 17.4 overs despite another glorious half-century from slugger Tim David. It was Australia’s heaviest defeat against South Africa in a men’s T20Is, ending their nine-match winning streak in the format.
MATCH CENTRE: Australia vs South Africa second T20 scorecard
Brevis belts INSANE century in Darwin | 01:08
The Proteas were in a spot of bother at 3-57 after Australian captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and chose to field first, with part-time spinner Glenn Maxwell removing rival skipper Aiden Markram and teenager Lhuan-dre Pretorius during the Powerplay.
Brevis, who at one stage was 14* (12), launched into a blistering assault after the drinks break to swing momentum back in South Africa’s favour, cracking four consecutive boundaries in the 12th over.
The right-hander, dropped by substitute fielder Matthew Kuhnemann on 56, raced from fifty to triple figures in just 16 deliveries, removing his helmet and looking to the skies in celebration. It was the fastest century against Australia in T20Is and the second-quickest by a South African, bettered only by David Miller’s 35-ball hundred against Bangladesh in 2017.
Australian quick Josh Hazlewood finished with 1-56, the most expensive spell of his T20I career, while fellow seamer Ben Dwarshuis claimed impressive figures of 2-24 from four overs.
Dewald Brevis makes a century for South Africa. Picture: Pema Tamang PakhrinSource: News Corp Australia
Australia’s run chase got off to a poor start with opener Travis Head and the in-form Cameron Green each dismissed cheaply during the Powerplay.
David, who sustained a worrying shoulder injury in the field, looked poised to recreate his heroics from Sunday’s series opener after racing towards a 23-ball fifty, which included a monstrous six that landed outside the venue. However, the Singapore-born striker fell victim to South African superstar Kagiso Rabada for 50 (24) shortly before the drinks break.
Wicketkeeper Alex Carey, replacing the ill Josh Inglis in Australia’s starting XI, hit a stylish 26 (18) in his first T20I since 2021, while teenager Kwena Maphaka and fellow seamer Corbin Bosch each claimed three wickets.
With the series tied at 1-1, the third and final T20 between Australia and South Africa gets underway at Cairns’ Cazalys Stadium on Saturday evening at 7.15pm AEST.
‘HE HITS IT MILES’: BABY AB’S ‘MIND-BOGGLING’ SNUB
From an early age, Dewald Brevis was bestowed with the nickname ‘Baby AB’ — and on Tuesday, the young South African showed exactly why he’s drawn comparisons to the Proteas legend.
Brevis, playing just his 11th match for South Africa, produced a record-breaking performance in the Northern Territory capital to cement his status as a future superstar of the game. He feasted on some sloppy bowling from the Australians, putting away an assortment of uncharacteristic full tosses and half-trackers from Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa.
But the highlight of Tuesday’s demolition was a no-look six against seamer Sean Abbott that landed in the stands, with the right-hander holding a pose for the cameras.
Brevis’ potential has been spoken about for years, offering glimpses of his talent in multiple T20 leagues across the globe – but South African fans have finally witnessed that skill on the international stage.
“He hits it miles,” Proteas captain Aiden Markram laughed during the post-match presentation.
“Quite a freakish display tonight. Chuffed that it came off and for a few people around the world to see what he’s about.
“It’s scary. He’s played a lot of T20s around the world, and he’ll keep getting better and better. He’s still young.”
Asked during the innings break when he decided to put the foot down, Brevis responded: “From ball one.”
“That’s my brand, that’s how I want to play,” he continued.
“It’s not to say you’re going to hit every ball, you still play it on merit.
“But if it’s there to be hit, it’s there to be hit.”
Brevis went unsold during last year’s IPL Auction, but was snapped up by the Chennai Super Kings as an injury replacement, repaying their faith with 225 runs at 37.50 with a strike rate of 180.00, including two fifties in six knocks.
And de Villiers hasn’t forgotten the snub.
“There was such a golden opportunity for IPL teams to pick up Dewald Brevis at the auction! Missed out badly,” de Villiers tweeted on Tuesday.
“The boy can play.
“Mind boggling that he wasn’t picked up at all! To think that he came in as an injury sub.”
BIG SHOW CAN ‘SHOVE’ FRINGE SPINNER OUT OF THE WORLD CUP
Glenn Maxwell’s spin has become an effective weapon during the Powerplay, which could force fellow tweaker Matt Kuhnemann out of Australia’s T20 World Cup squad.
The Victorian took a wicket during the Powerplay in each of Australia’s T20s against South Africa in Darwin, removing Proteas teenager Lhuan-dre Pretorius in the series opener and dismissing rival captain Aiden Markram on Tuesday. The 37-year-old should have also accounted for Pretorius earlier in the same over, but teammate Adam Zampa dropped a regulation catch at short fine leg.
Maxwell, who later knocked over Pretorius for 10, finished with 2-44 from four overs, denied a third wicket when substitute fielder Kuhnemann bottled another chance at long-on.
“I’m always ready to go in the Powerplay,” Maxwell told Fox Cricket before the match.
“It’s something I’ve done pretty consistently throughout my one-day and T20 career for most of the teams I’ve played for around the world.
“Very comfortable there.”
Speaking in commentary, former Australian spinner Kerry O’Keeffe suggested that Maxwell was good enough to play as a second strike spinner alongside Adam Zampa during next year’s T20 World Cup campaign in the subcontinent.
“He can shove Kuhnemann out of the World Cup,” O’Keeffe said.
“He can be the fifth bowler, get through four overs on turning pitches.
“He bowls well to left-handers, he has a great record against them.
“He’s a level thinker with his off breaks.”
Australia only picked one strike spinner for the 2023 World Cup in India, while tweakers Ashton Agar and Tanveer Sangha were selected as Zampa’s accomplices during the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan respectively.
‘HE NEEDS SOME RUNS’: AUSSIE SKIPPER STRUGGLES AGAIN
Mitchell Marsh hasn’t managed a fifty in his last 19 T20Is, with the captain’s lack of runs becoming a glaring concern for the Australians.
During the second T20 against South Africa in Darwin, the West Australian struck a 13-ball 22 before miscuing a slog against Proteas all-rounder Corbin Bosch, caught at long-on by Tristan Stubbs.
Ahead of the South African series, Marsh declared he would open the batting in Australia’s T20 team “for the foreseeable future”, but since the start of June last year, he has averaged 19.56 across 18 T20Is with a high score of 39.
Meanwhile, former Australian batter Mark Waugh has identified a flaw in Marsh’s technique when attacking through the leg side, which proved his undoing during both T20s against the Proteas.
“When it’s straight at him, back of length, he looks to hit it through the on side, but he’s looking to hit it too square, so his bat’s coming through very horizontal,” Waugh explained.
“That’s why he’s getting those top edges. He needs to play it a bit straighter.
“He’s not controlling the bat face.
“Every player has their strengths and weaknesses … but he needs some runs.”
He continued: “I don’t think he’s hitting the ball as clearly as he would like.”
Despite Marsh disappointing form with the bat, Australia’s T20 side has enjoyed recent success under his guidance, winning 22 of the 26 matches he’s captained.