SOUTH AFRICA TOUR OF AUSTRALIA, 2025
Dewald Brevis smashed an unbeaten 125 off 56 balls against Australia in the second T20I © Getty
Dewald Brevis smashed an unbeaten 125 off 56 balls to power South Africa to a comprehensive 53-run victory over Australia in the second T20I at Darwin’s Marrara Cricket Ground. The explosive knock, laced with 12 fours and 8 sixes, not only levelled the three-match series 1-1 but also ended Australia’s nine-match winning streak in T20Is.
After South Africa were put in to bat, they found themselves in familiar trouble at 57/3 in the seventh over losing Ryan Rickelton (14), Aiden Markram (18), and Lhuan-dre Pretorius (10) in the space of twenty balls. However, what followed was a masterclass in T20 batting from the 21-year-old Brevis, who turned the match on its head with a breathtaking innings.
Brevis found an able ally in Tristan Stubbs (31 off 22 balls), and the pair added 126 runs for the fourth wicket in just 9.3 overs. The partnership was the bedrock of South Africa’s recovery, with Brevis showcasing his full repertoire of strokes. His strike rate of 223.21 reflected the carnage he inflicted on the Australian bowling attack.
The young right-hander was particularly severe on Glenn Maxwell whom he launched for 6, 6, 4, 6 en route to a half-century, becoming the third youngest South African to achieve this feat. His innings never lost momentum thereafter. In just 16 balls, he raced from 50 to 100 recording the secondfastest T20I ton for South Africa and the faster that anyone has against Australia. Even after Stubbs fell to Adam Zampa in the 17th over, Brevis continued his assault and yet managed to remain unbeaten till the end.
South Africa’s total of 218/7 was their highest T20I score against Australia, built on the foundation of Brevis’s record-breaking knock.
Chasing a daunting target, Australia’s reply was riddled with hiccups. The hosts lost Travis Head (5) in the second over, bowled by Aiden Markram, before Cameron Green (9) was spectacularly caught by Nqabayomzi Peter off Kwena Maphaka at midwicket. Even though there was fumble as he was getting up, the third umpire deemed that he was in control of the catch.
Mitchell Marsh and Tim David started the recovery job with a counter-assault in a 48-run stand before the former was caught off Corbin Bosch. David, however, kept the chase on with a 23-ball fifty hitting four sixes and as many fours. But he fell soon after reaching the milestone, hitting a cutter from Kagiso Rabada to cover and thereby applying the brakes on the chase. At 104/4 inside the tenth over, Australia’s chase started to derail with a few starts from the lower-order coming to a swift end with Bosch and Mphaka picking three apiece.
With this emphatic victory, South Africa bounced back in style after their 17-run defeat in the series opener. The series now moves to Cairns for the decisive third T20I on August 14.
Brief Scores: South Africa 218/7 (Dewald Brevis 125) beat Australia 165 all out (Tim David 50; Corbin Bosch 3-20) by 53 runs
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