South Africa secured a 53-run win against Australia in the second T20I match at TIO Stadium
Dewald Brevis starred for the Proteas, scoring 125 off 56
South Africa's win tied the bilateral series 1-1
South Africa levelled the three-match T20I series against Australia with a dominant 53-run win inspired by a record-breaking masterclass from Dewald Brevis.
The 22-year-old stole the show in Darwin with a stunning, unbeaten 125 from just 56 balls, the highest score by a South African in men’s T20Is, as the Proteas piled on 218-7 after being sent in to bat.
Brevis’ innings, studded with eight sixes and 12 fours, came after Glenn Maxwell (2-44) had pegged the tourists back to 57-3, dismissing Aiden Markram (18) and Lhuan-dre Pretorius (10) in quick succession, with Ryan Rickelton (14) having been sent packing in the fourth over by Ben Dwarshuis (2-24).
Tristan Stubbs (31) provided a cameo, but the innings belonged to Brevis, whose acceleration from 50 in 25 balls to his eventual total flattened the Australian attack. In the same over he brought up his maiden T20I half-century, Brevis smacked Maxwell for 23.
Chasing 219, Australia made a stuttering start and lost Travis Head (five) and Cameron Green (nine) inside the first four overs.
Mitchell Marsh (22) and Tim David briefly counter-attacked, with the latter plundering 50 off 24 balls, but wickets kept tumbling as Kwena Maphaka (3-57) and Nqabayomzi Peter (1-35) struck at key moments.
Corbin Bosch (3-20) mopped up the lower order with a rapid double strike, before Lungi Ngidi claimed the final wicket of Sean Abbott to bowl Australia out for 165 in the 18th over. Only Alex Carey (26) and Dwarshuis (12) offered brief resistance after David’s departure.
The teams now move to Cairns for Saturday’s decider, with the series tied at 1-1 after two high-scoring, action-packed encounters in the Northern Territory.
Data Debrief: Australian records stumped by Brevis' brilliance
South Africa’s revival meant that they prevented their hosts from extending their record winning-run against them to seven games, as they beat Australia for the first time since a 12-run victory back in February 2020.
South Africa’s triumph means they halted Australia’s winning streak at nine T20Is, their longest since an 11-game unbeaten run (W10, T1) between February and May 2010.
Brevis will rightly take the plaudits, after putting on the highest-ever score by a player batting at number four or lower in a men’s T20I between two Test-playing nations.
