Despite having experienced a wobbly start to his international career, Dewald Brevis said he had never doubted his ability to perform at the highest level after leading South Africa to a convincing 53-run victory over Australia on Tuesday in the second T20 International in Darwin.
Considered one of the promising young players in the Proteas squad, the 22-year-old batter had previously played eight T20 matches for the national team but had managed a top score of only 41 runs.
Producing an incredible breakthrough on Tuesday, he raced to his maiden international century off just 41 balls and went on to rack up 125 not out not out off 56 deliveries in an innings which featured 12 fours and eight sixes.
It was a historic knock as he broke the record for the most runs by a Proteas player in a T20 innings, which had previously been held by iconic player Faf du Plessis who compiled 119 against the West Indies in 2015.
“I’ve always believed this is where I need to be and where I will be, so I never had doubts or anything,” Brevis said after the match.
“It’s all about cricket and how things work out. It is a rollercoaster – you have your ups, you have your downs – but never ever have I doubted myself.”
Looking ahead to next match
Following his spectacular effort, Brevis said he would soak it in and enjoy the moment, but he felt this was just the beginning of what could be a very bright future.
With one more match to play in the series against Australia, he said he was looking ahead and hoped to build on his fine form.
“This for me is just the start,” said Brevis, who was labelled ‘Baby AB’ in the early stages of his professional domestic career, with people comparing him to Proteas legend AB de Villiers.
“It’s not that this happened now and I’m happy or anything. I just want to keep working hard, do the same things, and the next match is the next match.
“So I can enjoy this hundred now, think a bit about it, watch it maybe, but then when the next match comes it’s completely a new match and anything can happen, so you have to be in the moment.”
The final fixture of the T20 International series between SA and Australia, which was level at 1-1 after the hosts won the first game last weekend, will be played in Cairns on Saturday.
