Dewald Brevis gets maiden Proteas call-up for T20 and ODI series against Australia

Dewald Brevis gets maiden Proteas call-up for T20 and ODI series against Australia

Dewald Brevis could make his international debut later this month after being selected in the Proteas' T20 and ODI squads for the home series against Australia.

The 20-year-old made a name for himself as the leading run-scorer at the U19 World Cup in January last year with 506 runs - the most by any batter in a single edition of the tournament.

The right-handed batter has since gone on to impress in T20 leagues around the world and currently holds the record for the highest individual domestic T20 score in South Africa - 162 off 57 balls - which he struck during last season's CSA T20 Challenge.

He also enjoyed success in the recent SA A tour to Sri Lanka, where he hit a 71-ball 98 in the first unofficial 50-over match.

Joining Brevis in the T20I squad for the first time are his Titans teammates Donovan Ferreira and Gerald Coetzee - the latter could add to his Test and ODI caps if selected - as well as Warriors batter, Matthew Breetzke.

Spinner Keshav Maharaj has been included for the second and third T20Is as well as the ODI squad as the spinner continues his comeback from a ruptured left Achilles tendon, which he sustained during the Test series against West Indies in March.

Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada are rested for the three-match T20I series and will return for the ODI leg of the tour.

Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter emphasised that both series against Aussies is an opportunity to broaden the base for selection ahead of the World Cup later this year.

The squad for the World Cup that will take in India will be announced on 5 September.

Walter said: "We are looking for opportunities to grow our base of players, and the T20I series against Australia is a perfect chance to give some of the rising cricketers in the country the chance to show us what they are capable of.

"For this reason, we have included players such as Dewald, Donovan and Matthew. These are guys that have been performing consistently week in and week out domestically so we are now looking forward to seeing what they can do at the next level. They also possess a particular skill set that fits into the way we are looking to play the game moving forward.

"We are also happy to welcome back Keshav. He has made significant progress and is ahead of where we expected him to be at this point in time with his recovery and so we've included him in the squads to give him the best chance to be available for selection for the World Cup squad.

"If by some chance he's not ready to play in the second and third T20Is, he will then be replaced in the squad and then we'll set our target on the ODI series, which is even more important to us just a month out from the World Cup."

The T20 series will start on 30 August with all three matches being played in Durban while the ODI series begins on 7 September in Bloemfontein.

Proteas T20 squad: Aiden Markram (captain), Temba Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams and Rassie van der Dussen.

Proteas ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (captain) Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, and Rassie van der Dussen

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