South Africa Under-19 batting sensation Dewald Brevis turned out to be the most expensive U-19 buy of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction ahead of all-rounders Raj Bawa and Rajvardhan Hagargekar. After getting a Rs 3 crore contract from five-time IPL champions, Brevis showed that the franchise did not make any mistake by scoring an unbeaten 46 in CSA T20 challenge fixture on February 14.
Brevis anchors run chase
The 18-year-old helped Titans chase down a total of 135 with 21 deliveries to spare. Batting at no.3, he scored 46 runs from 30 deliveries including four fours and two sixes. He had a chance at scoring his maiden T20 half-century but Sibonelo Makhanya’s cameo prevented him from reaching the milestone. In the same innings, Quinton de Kock, who was let go by MI and picked up by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), scored 26 runs from 21 deliveries.
Miller shines too
Earlier in the first innings, David Miller who went unsold in the first round and then bagged Rs 3 crore deal with Gujarat Titans (GT), scored 57 runs from 40 deliveries including two fours and three sixes. Apart from Miller, other batters failed to shine as Dolphins managed to post 134/4 in a rain-curtailed 19 overs per side game.
Brevis - the finisher
Brevis was rewarded for his record-breaking run in the U-19 World Cup 2022 where Yash Dhull-led India won the cup. The teenager became a hot property in the mega auction as three franchise engaged in a bidding war to acquire his services. In the end, MI outlasted defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and won the mini-bidding war after starting at a base price of Rs 20 lakh.
Record-breaking World Cup
Brevis was the backbone of South Africa’s batting lineup. He scored 506 runs from six innings in the mega event which is the most by a player in a single edition of U-19 World Cup. He went past Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan’s record of 505 runs in 2004 edition of the event. He came under limelight for his batting style which resembles former South Africa great AB de Villiers.
