Dewald Brevis rewrites record books with a knock for ages, pips Faf du Plessis; achieves feat even AB de Villiers missed

Dewald Brevis lit up the Marrara Oval in Darwin on Tuesday night as he tore down a host of records for South Africa during their 53-run victory over Australia. The 22-year-old scored 125* off just 56 deliveries, in an innings that helped propel the Proteas to 218/7 in the first innings before a clinical bowling performance ensured that the hosts were bowled out for 165 to claim an easy win. Dewald Brevis hit eight sixes enroute to his 125*(56) against Australia.(AFP)

Brevis’ innings saw him take down record after record. This included the highest-ever score in a T20I match by a South African player, surpassing Faf du Plessis’ 119, and establishing himself at the top of his list.

Highest scores by South African players in T20Is:

Dewald Brevis – 125* vs AUS

Faf du Plessis – 119 vs WI

Richard Levi – 117* vs NZ

Reeza Hendricks – 117 vs PAK

Brevis also overtook Richard Levi as the youngest centurion for South Africa in T20I cricket, bringing it up at the age of 22 years and 105 days.

Needing just 41 deliveries to reach his century, Brevis stands behind only David Miller in terms of fastest T20I centuries for the country. Miller had taken 35 deliveries during his innings against Bangladesh in 2017.

Brevis became only the sixth player to register a T20I century against Australia, joining the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Brendon McCullum, and Martin Guptill. He also now holds the record for the highest individual T20I score against Australia, surpassing Gaikwad’s score of 123* in 2023.

Remarkably, this was also the highest score by any player in any men’s T20I in Australia, with nobody having scored more than his 125*. The previous record was held by Shane Watson, who scored 124* at the SCG.

This was also South Africa’s highest total against Australia, and included the second-highest partnership for any wicket across all matches through Brevis and Stubbs putting on 126 runs with each other.

With the ball, Kwena Maphaka kept his strong series going, picking up another three scalps to go with his 4-fer from the first T20I. Although he was expensive, he had an impact, but the same could not be said for Josh Hazlewood, who conceded his worst career T20I figures, of 1-56 in his four overs.

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