New Delhi: India and South Africa are gearing up for the coveted Super 8 clash in the T20 World Cup in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Since there are many winners on both sides, this game is also rich in duels. One of them could involve India’s enigmatic spinner Varun Chakravarthy and South Africa’s rising batting star Dewald Brevis.
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When asked about the enticing battle ahead after his team beat the Emirates by six wickets here, Breves, who usually bats at No. 4, sounded dismissive of the threat posed by Chakravarthy. “He is a spin bowler, so I will bowl like a spin bowler. Watch the ball and react,” he said.
Although Breves did not have an impressive record in South Africa’s limited-overs tour of India last year – scoring just 69 runs at an average of 17 – he was never matched up against Chakravarthy in four T20I matches.
Ever since Brevis burst onto the scene at the 2022 U-19 World Cup and became the tournament’s top run-scorer (506 runs in six games), he has had to endure the nickname “Little AB” as he was often compared to Proteas great AB de Villiers. This is a label he likes. “It’s always been a big honor for me to be compared to AB. But there’s never been any pressure on me. It’s always been an honor,” Breves said.
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Against India, Breivis will hope to draw on his experience playing for the Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Ahead of the much-anticipated Super 8 clash, South Africa’s special adviser Albie Morkel dubbed the 22-year-old the team’s “X-factor”.
After scoring six, 23 and 21 in the first three games of the T20 World Cup, Breves showed his potential against the UAE on Wednesday with a 25-ball 36 in a brief but entertaining innings that was replete with three brilliant sixes. Even though Breves’ side are seven points short of their target, he is unfazed.
“It’s just about being myself and enjoying the game and usually, the best things happen after that. Consistency of performance is not always guaranteed. We all go through ups and downs. It’s just about being positive and supporting your style of play,” he said.
