IPL ROUNDUP: RICKELTON AND BREVIS SHOW THEY BELONG

Betway SA20 stars are finding their feet at the IPL and starting to show off their undoubted class.

RICKELTON FINDS HIS GROOVE

After an initial period of self-imposed pressure to prove his worth at this elite level, Betway SA20’s leading run-scorer Ryan Rickelton is starting to embrace the electrifying atmosphere of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Rickelton kicked off his journey in the IPL with an impressive maiden half-century in just his third match, but it wasn't until the arrival of his family in India that he truly found his stride.

With their cheers echoing from the stands, he notched up two spectacular half-centuries within the past week—first scoring 54 off 32 balls (6x4, 4x6) against Lucknow Super Giants, followed by a remarkable 61 off 38 balls (7x4, 3x6) against Rajasthan Royals.

“The family is there, they have come up this week and it is special to put in a performance in front of them,” he said.

Rickelton has also needed to overcome further personal challenges, such as opening the batting alongside India's T20 World Cup-winning captain, Rohit Sharma.

It's unlike at MI Cape Town where Rickelton walks out with his longtime friend Rassie van der Dussen, whom he shares an almost telepathic relationship with.

"Opening the batting with Rohit Sharma, there's always going to be pressure internally and externally," he admitted in earlier interviews, revealing the weight of expectation that accompanied this prestigious role.

However, as Rickelton has settled in at Mumbai Indians due to being part of “such a good group”, so too has his partnership with Sharma flourished, with the pair contributing a significant 116-run opening stand against Rajasthan Royals.

"It was a bit of a slow start getting into the tournament for both of us, but we are clicking, and it is incredible to be out there with him,” Rickelton said.

Equally, after 11 matches into his IPL career now, the southpaw has developed a gameplan that can be successful in the various conditions encountered all across India.

“That's probably the most difficult thing about the IPL – coming to India for the first time and altering your game to the conditions,” he said.

“I was maybe guilty of trying to alter too much, and now I stick to my template of what made me successful with a few tweaks based on the conditions.”

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER FOR BREVIS

It took an injury to Gurjapneet Singh for Dewald Brevis to get a belated ticket to the IPL this season, but he certainly has been in a hurry to make up for lost time.

Even though Chennai Super Kings have already been eliminated, Brevis has left an indelible mark through two highly-entertaining innings plus some breathtaking fielding that should see him return again next season.

A 25-ball 42 in his first game against Sunrisers Hyderabad was followed up with another rapid 32 that formed part of a 78-run partnership with his former MI Cape Town teammate Sam Curran against Punjab Kings.

And in similar fashion to his Betway SA20 Catch of Season 3, Brevis once again tip-toed around the boundary to pull off another “speccie” to dismiss Shashank Singh.

BOULT-ING UP THE LADDER

The MI Cape Town left-arm seamer has claimed 10 wickets in his last three matches, including successive three-wicket hauls in his last two matches against Lucknow Super Giants (3/20) and Rajasthan Royals (3/28) for Mumbai Indians.

Boult’s form has played a large role in MI enjoying a six-game winning streak that placed them top of the table.

The Kiwi’s 16 wickets have placed third on the overall IPL wicket-takers list.

TOP SA20 RUN-SCORERS IN IPL 2025

Aiden Markram (Lucknow Super Giants) | Total: 335 runs | Best: 66 vs Rajasthan Royals (19/4/2025)

Ryan Rickelton (Mumbai Indians) | Total: 334 runs | Best: 62* vs Kolkata Knight Riders (31/3/2025)

Heinrich Klaasen (Sunrisers Hyderabad) | Total: 288 runs | Best: 71 vs Mumbai Indians (23/4/2025)

TOP SA20 WICKET-TAKERS IN IPL 2025

Trent Boult (Mumbai Indians) | Total: 16 wickets | Best: 4/26 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (23/4/2025)

Noor Ahmad (Chennai Super Kings) | Total: 15 wickets | Best: 4/18 vs Mumbai Indians

Marco Jansen (Punjab Kings) | Total: 10 wickets | Best: 3/17 vs Kolkata Knight Riders (15/4/2025)