Dewald Brevis made 75 in consecutive T20Is in Windhoek, scoring 75 from 50 balls against Namibia before making an unbeaten 75 from 32 against Zimbabwe. South Africa lost the first match by 18 runs and won the second by seven wickets.

The identical scores came in very different chases. Against Namibia, Brevis batted through a collapse; against Zimbabwe, he drove a quick chase after a much stronger start.

Measure Against Namibia Against Zimbabwe
Target 164 145
Team powerplay 34/2 61/2
Team after 10 overs 67/3 103/2
Brevis after 10 overs 36 off 25 47 off 21
Final innings 75 off 50 75* off 32
Result Lost by 18 runs Won by 7 wickets

Namibia: 75 in a losing chase

South Africa needed 164 against Namibia. Brevis came in at 15 for one, and the second opener fell six balls later. South Africa were 34 for two at the end of the powerplay and 67 for three after ten overs, still needing 97 from 60 balls.

Brevis made 36 from his first 25 balls as South Africa slipped to 86 for five. He added 47 with Duan Jansen from 28 balls, but when Brevis fell at 133 for six after 18 overs, the chase still required 31 from 12. South Africa finished on 145 for nine.

Zimbabwe: 75 not out in 32 balls

Zimbabwe made 144, leaving South Africa a smaller target and a better platform. Brevis arrived with 113 needed from 100 balls. By the end of the powerplay he had 19 from nine and South Africa were 61 for two, 27 runs ahead of where they had been against Namibia.

At ten overs, Brevis had 47 from 21 and South Africa were 103 for two. Seven fours and six sixes made 64 of his 75, and he and Rubin Hermann completed the chase at 146 for three in 13.4 overs.

The two innings in context

Brevis supplied almost the same share of South Africa’s final score in both matches: 51.7 per cent against Namibia and 51.4 per cent against Zimbabwe. The match situations were different.

Against Namibia, he was batting with a rising required rate and a damaged middle order. Against Zimbabwe, South Africa were ahead of the chase from the powerplay and Brevis turned that position into a seven-wicket win.