‘Baby AB’ Brevis blasts record-breaking 125 in Darwin

Dewald Brevis' blistering 41-ball century lit up Darwin on Tuesday night as South Africa piled up their highest-ever T20I score against Australia in the second BKT Tyres T20I.

The 22-year-old, nicknamed "Baby AB" for his likeness to AB de Villiers, smashed an unbeaten 125 off 56 balls to power the Proteas to 7-218 — a record total against the hosts. 

It was the highest score by a South African in the format and made Brevis the youngest from his country to reach three figures in T20Is.

After a measured start of 14 runs from his first 12 balls, Brevis launched Adam Zampa for a straight six to open the floodgates. What followed was a masterclass in clean, straight hitting — first dismantling the spinners before turning his attention to the quicks.

His 41-ball ton is the second-fastest by a South African in men's T20Is, behind David Miller's 35-ball effort against Bangladesh in 2017.

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 West Indies, 2023

Richard Levi – 45 balls v New Zealand, 2012

A rare chance on 56 — when substitute fielder Matt Kuhnemann misjudged a lofted drive from Glenn Maxwell's bowling and parried it over the rope — only fuelled his assault. Brevis punished everything thereafter, including back-to-back sixes off Maxwell in the 12th over.

He shared a 126-run stand with Tristan Stubbs (31 off 22), who played the perfect supporting role as South Africa recovered from 3-57 after Lhuan-dre Pretorius was stumped off Maxwell.

HIGHEST MEN'S T20I SCORES IN AUSTRALIA
Dewald Brevis – 125* v Australia, 2025
Shane Watson – 124* v India, 2016
Glenn Maxwell – 120* v West Indies, 2024
Rilee Rossouw – 109 v Bangladesh, 2022

Australia's bowlers took heavy punishment, with only Ben Dwarshuis (2-24) escaping the carnage. He removed Ryan Rickelton early and Rassie van der Dussen late, but the rest leaked freely on a warm tropical night in the Northern Territory.