Follow UsOne of the biggest surprises of the IPL 2025 auction came when Mumbai Indians (MI) decided to bid for young Kiwi Bevon-John Jacobs, who had played all of six T20 games at the time of being bought by MI. Jacobs was a rookie expected to go unsold, but MI picked him based on his potential, impressed by whatever they had seen of him.
Along expected lines, Jacobs did not play a single game in IPL 2025, but two months on, the 23-year-old has now made his T20I debut for New Zealand. He was handed his cap today in the second T20I of the ongoing tri-series involving New Zealand, Zimbabwe and South Africa, making him the 105th cricketer to represent the Blackcaps in the shortest format.
And the right-hander had an impressive debut, finishing unbeaten on 44 off 30 balls, walking in at 70/5, when New Zealand were in all sorts. He shared an unbeaten 103-run stand with Tim Robinson to take New Zealand to 173/5. Jacobs hit 3 sixes and a four in his knock.
Jacobs made his T20I debut at the back of an impressive T20 record under his belt: Average of 32 while striking at 148, predominantly batting in the middle-order and lower-order. He is, however, one of the most highly rated batters in New Zealand across all formats, evident by his first-class average of 59.50.
This was Jacobs’ first professional match since March, where he hit 157 & 32* against Central Districts representing Auckland. Across January and February, he represented MI Emirates in the ILT20, making three appearances in total.