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The Indian Premier League (IPL) has become a household name over the years after the tournament started in 2008. As the 15th edition is about to begin, it would be fair to say that the magnitude of the tournament and the level of cricket played here is unparalleled. A two-day-long mega auction concluded prior to IPL 2022 concluded on Sunday, which delivered intense bidding wars between ten franchises for the prestigious title. While many players went unsold in the auctions, few drew much attention.
One such player was South Africa's rising star Dewald Brevis, who stormed the cricket world due to his swashbuckling batting style. Dubbed as 'Baby AB' for his batting technique which resembles South African legend AB de Villiers, the cricketer was bought by Mumbai Indians at the auctions. Chennai Super Kings was another franchise that showed keen interest in securing the services of the uncapped player.
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The 18-year old who went on the auction table at the base price of Rs. 20 Lakh, was ultimately bought for Rs. 3 crores by MI. Brevis will be seen providing his services to five-time champions, and considering his batting style, he will pose a formidable challenge to opponent bowlers and fielders. However, a day after Mumbai Indians secured Brevis, his father revealed an interesting situation in his family. He said that our family had been divided due to Brevis's association with MI.
“I support KKR and my elder son is a massive CSK supporter. My wife has been Mumbai Indians fans for years and now Dewald joins Mumbai too. We’ve a big problem in our household,” he told Netwerk 24. Undoubtedly, the massive popularity of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has created such confusing situations in families around the world.
Notably, Brevis was the best batsman in the recently concluded U-19 World Cup in West Indies. The right-handed batter scored 506 runs, surpassing the previous record of 505 runs that India opener Shikhar Dhawan held. He was named Player of the Tournament for his magnificent performances throughout the competition.