Baby AB sinks Aussies with epic 125no to level series

Dewald Brevis has announced himself on the international stage with a blistering 41-ball century that saw South Africa level the BKT Tyres T20 series against Australia.

The Proteas cruised to victory by 53 runs after Brevis' phenomenal knock of 125no off 56 balls was the focal point of South Africa's highest-ever T20I score against Australia.

Fastest men's T20I centuries for South Africa

 

David Miller, 35 balls v Bangladesh 2017

 

Dewald Brevis, 41 balls v Australia 2025

 

Quinton de Kock, 43 balls v WI 2023

 

Richard Levi, 45 balls v NZ 2012

Their mammoth 7-218 was never threatened by the hosts despite their power-packed batting lineup as wickets fell regularly throughout the chase.

Tim David's incredible striking was on display again, punching out an effortless 26-ball half-century, his third 50+ score in his past four innings.

But he was dismissed with Australia on 4-104 – not yet at the halfway point of the chase – and with him went any hopes of a miracle Australian win.

The match belonged to Brevis who smashed the Australian attack to all parts on a warm, tropical Tuesday night in Darwin.

His 125 not out is now the highest by a South African in men's T20Is and at 22 years and 105 days he also became the youngest centurion from the rainbow nation.

Highest men's T20I scores in Australia

 

Dewald Brevis, 125no v Australia 2025

 

Shane Watson, 124no v India 2016

 

Glenn Maxwell, 120no v West Indies 2024

 

Rilee Rossouw, 109 v Bangladesh 2022

Nicknamed 'Baby AB' in reference to South Africa legend and his hero AB de Villiers, much has been expected of Brevis since his IPL debut as an 18-year-old in 2022.

In his ninth T20I, Brevis delivered on his promise.

Although he started with 14 runs from his first 12 balls, a straight six off Adam Zampa opened the floodgates for the right-hander.

What followed was a T20 masterclass in straight, clean hitting. Early he was brutal against the spinners and late he dominated the quicks.

A 103-metre straight six off Sean Abbott was eye-catching not only for his crispness of the timing but for the head-down pose that Brevis held, long after the ball had left his bat.

A whopping 95 of his runs came in front of square, with all eight of his sixes landing between long off and deep midwicket.

The only chance he gave was put down by substitute fielder Matt Kuhnemann, who horribly misjudged a rare miscue from the young tyro (on 56 at the time) at long on.

It was salt in the wound for the bowler Glenn Mawell, who had already conceded two sixes in the over and would concede another immediately after the miss.

As Brevis walked off unbeaten to big applause from the boisterous Darwin crowd of almost 9,000 fans, Maxwell made a beeline from long on to give the youngster a well-deserved handshake and pat on the back.

Brevis shared a 126-run partnership with Tristan Stubbs (31 off 22), who was happy to play second fiddle as his junior partner went wild.

Ben Dwarshuis was the only Australian bowler to finish with an economy rate under 10 runs per over on his way to 2-24 from four overs.

He took the opening wicket of the night, Ryan Rickelton caught misjudging a pull shot, and Rassie van der Dussen at the death, caught well by Sean Abbott on the boundary.

Despite the large target and the heavy dew becoming a factor as the night progressed, it was one of Australia's more uneventful Powerplays in recent matches, finishing their first six overs on 2-58.

Aiden Markram's decision to take the new ball from the Bonson Gate end of the ground proved a masterstroke, with Travis Head (5) holing out to deep midwicket.

Ngaba Peter took a great catch off Cameron Green in the fourth over, diving forward off a pull shot at midwicket.

But his all-too-eager celebration, reminiscent of Herschelle Gibbs at the 1999 World Cup, had the umpires conferring and had the crowd hoping for another major South African mistake.

But the rookie leg-spinner was deemed to have controlled the ball and Green, who had sprinted back to the middle after slowly trudging off, had to walk towards the sheds for the second time in a minute.

The turning point of the Australian innings came when skipper Markram called back strike bowler Kagiso Rabada to bowl his third over in the 10th of the innings.

The red-hot Tim David had just passed 50 for the third time in four innings and loomed as Australia's key to the chase.

In the preceding overs David deposited Peter onto the roof of the Maurice Rioli Stand and pulled Kwena Maphaka for a one-handed six over square leg.

But Rabada repaid the faith of his captain and not only broke the 27-run David-Maxwell partnership but crucially ended David's run, caught by Rassie van der Dussen at cover.

Alex Carey, playing his first T20I in four years, and Mitch Owen were left to pick up the pieces for Australia after Maxwell's (16) demise, but neither got going as the required run rate skyrocketed above 14.

The loss ends Australia's nine-game winning streak in the format with the series decider to be played in Cairns on Saturday.  

Australia XI: Travis Head, Mitch Marsh (c), Cameron Green, Tim David, Mitch Owen, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey (wk), Ben Dwarshuis, Sean Abbott, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

 

South Africa XI: Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Nqaba Peter, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi

BKT Tyres T20I Series - Australia v South Africa

August 10: Australia won the first T20I by 17 runs.

August 12: Second T20I v South Africa, Marrara Stadium, Darwin, 7pm AEST

August 16: Third T20I v South Africa, Cazalys Stadium, Cairns, 7pm AEST

BKT Tyres ODI Series - Australia v South Africa

August 19: First ODI v South Africa, Cazalys Stadium, Cairns, 2:30pm AEST

August 22: Second ODI v South Africa, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, 2:30pm AEST

August 24: Third ODI v South Africa, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, 2:30pm AEST

Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa

Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa

South Africa T20 squad: Aiden Markram (c), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Rassie van der Dussen

South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen