Unsold at IPL auction, Dewald Brevis starts SA20 2025 with a bang

Dewald Brevis, who went unsold in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction, started the SA20 2025 in a grand fashion. Playing for MI Cape Town, the 21-year-old smoked 57 off 29 deliveries against Sunrisers Eastern Cape at St George's Park on January 9 (Thursday).

Brevis caught everyone’s attention with his breathtaking batting in the 2022 ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup, where he smashed 506 runs and was named Player of the Tournament. He even got an Indian Premier League (IPL) gig with Mumbai Indians but couldn’t do much, scoring 230 runs across 10 innings @ 23 and a strike rate of 133.7.

Even in the first two seasons of SA20, Brevis struggled to get going. While he could only operate at a strike rate of 117.5 in the first edition, Brevis averaged just 18.75 in the SA20 2024. The right-hander played 23 T20s in 2024 and scored 436 runs @ 20.76.

However, 2025 could very well be the year where he stamps his authority in the shortest format of the game, and the batter couldn’t have asked for a better start. Brevis slammed two fours and six maximums in his 57-run knock, including his trademark no-look six.

Walking out to bat at No.5, with the scoreboard reading 42/3 in 6.3 overs, Brevis hit the second delivery he faced for a six. The right-hander added 67 runs for the fourth wicket with Colin Ingram and put Cape Town in a much better position.

Thanks to his knock, MI collected 131 runs from the last 13 overs and got to 174/7 in 20 overs.