South Africa sensation Dewald Brevis makes history as most expensive buy in SA20 history

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South African cricket sensation Dewald Brevis has shattered records by becoming the most expensive player in SA20 history during the Season 4 Player Auction held in Johannesburg on September 9, 2025. The 22-year-old batting prodigy was acquired by Pretoria Capitals for a staggering INR 16.5 million (approximately INR 8.31 crore), surpassing all previous auction records.

The auction witnessed an unprecedented bidding war between Joburg Super Kings and Pretoria Capitals for Brevis’ services. Super Kings pushed the bidding to INR 16.4 million out of their INR 21.5 million budget before ultimately conceding to the Capitals. This astronomical figure eclipsed the previous record set just hours earlier when Proteas T20I captain Aiden Markram was sold to Durban’s Super Giants for R14 million.

Brevis’ record-breaking price tag demolished the previous SA20 benchmark of INR 9.2 million held by Tristan Stubbs, who was purchased by Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the inaugural auction. The Chennai Super Kings star’s exceptional recent form justified the massive investment, having scored 225 runs in just six IPL 2025 matches at an impressive strike rate of 180.

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The auction underscored SA20’s rapid ascension in global cricket, operating with a total purse of US$7.37 million across six franchises and a salary cap of US$2.31 million per team, making it the world’s second-richest T20 league after the IPL. The tournament’s financial muscle was evident as 84 slots were filled from a pool of 541 players, including 300 South Africans and 241 overseas cricketers.

Pretoria Capitals entered the auction with the largest remaining purse of US$1.86 million, providing them the financial firepower to secure Brevis under the guidance of head coach Sourav Ganguly and bowling coach Shaun Pollock. Ganguly expressed his delight at the acquisition, describing Brevis as “a game changer” and praising his remarkable development over the past 18 months, particularly highlighting his recent exploits against Australia where he scored the fastest T20I century by a South African off just 41 balls.

The auction’s success reflects SA20’s growing stature in the global T20 landscape, with the league set to commence its fourth season on December 26, 2025, featuring a prize pool that rivals the world’s premier cricket tournaments.

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