New Delhi, Feb 18 (IANS) On the eve of the South Africa versus UAE clash in the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, the Proteas consultant coach Albie Morkel had brushed aside concerns over Dewald Brevis’s form, after he posted scores of 6, 23, and 31. Morkel would call him an X-factor player who would ‘break your heart at times, but he will also win you games’.
He would also say, ‘The best way is to let him be that guy.’ On Wednesday, with no scoreboard pressure around, Brevis freed his arms to entertain a strong crowd of 14,400 fans by making 36 off 25 balls, his highest score in this World Cup.
After South Africa won by six wickets to sign off from Group D as an unbeaten side, Brevis, playing his first T20 World Cup, dismissed suggestions of him being under pressure due to the low scores. “Not at all. Every ball I hit and every moment I’ve been out there, I feel like my confidence is at a great place and I enjoy being out there.”
“That’s how I always want to play, to be myself, to enjoy the game, to watch the ball. It’s just being myself, and then the best things happen. It’s being consistent in that. Performance is not always guaranteed. We all go through ups and downs, so it’s just helpful to be positive and to keep backing your way of playing,” he said in the mixed zone at the conclusion of the game.
He also highlighted a towering 87-metre pull over midwicket, which left the crowd gasping in delight, as his favourite of two sixes, despite the short ball often causing his downfall. “The pull shot I really enjoyed. I love it when it’s short.”
South Africa’s Super Eights opponents are already confirmed. They face defending champions India in Ahmedabad on Sunday, a fixture expected to draw a packed crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium. While South Africa’s bowlers have adjusted well to conditions there, thanks to them playing three Group D fixtures, India remains the favourite to win the clash.
“It’s great. The boys and everyone, we’re in a very great place. We’re growing as a team, and it’s very exciting to see where this team is on the way to. I enjoy every moment of playing, and everyone is doing great performances. It was an interesting wicket, actually, but it was fun, and I enjoyed it. I’m glad I could contribute to the team, and it was really fun,” he said.
Asked what South Africa need to do to upstage India on Sunday, Brevis had a crisp reply. “As South Africa, we just keep playing like how we’re playing. That’s all I need to say.”
The challenge of facing Varun Chakaravarthy looms large, and Brevis didn’t give a sneak peek into his game plan. “He’s a spin bowler, so I play him like a spinner — watch the ball and react to it.”
Brevis made his T20I debut in Durban in August 2023, but took his time to be the mainstay he is right now in the Proteas set-up. “Definitely, I’ve grown as the player that I’ve become. It’s totally Dewald’s journey, so I really enjoy it, and it’s been an amazing one.
“I know how it feels to have ups and downs as well, but that’s all part of it, and that’s how you figure out who you are as a player and who you are as a person. So I really enjoyed every moment of it,” he said.
He was long compared with being the next batting sensation after his mentor, the great AB de Villiers, but said he never took the pressure of it. “No, it’s always been a very big privilege for me to be compared with AB, but it’s never been any pressure for me. I’ve never felt a drop of pressure. It’s always been an honour, and I really enjoy being here.
Brevis also admitted that wickets in IPL, where he plays for Chennai Super Kings, were better than the ones offered for this World Cup. “Like IPL, I feel the wickets are a bit flatter and even better to be honest. But the wickets and everything are still great. It’s lovely to be here with the fans and everyone. They really create an amazing atmosphere. So we really love playing here. I love playing here.”
On being reminded that South Africa lost the T20I series 4-1 to India last year, and whether it would have any bearing on the Proteas, Brevis was quick to keep it aside. “It’s funny enough – my dad told me when it was that serious, he said, ‘Just whatever you do, that’s actually just preparing you for the World Cup when you guys are going to play them. So I went into that mindset with that series.
“But it’s still going to be a very new game, like new conditions and everything’s going to be new. So it’s going to be a fresh start for both teams, and we can just be the best that we can be on the day and look after the small things and enjoy the moments in the game.”
–IANS
nr/bsk/