T20 WC: Morkel backs 'X-factor' Brevis, 'premier' Rabada to fire

South Africa's coaching consultant Albie Morkel has backed pacer Kagiso Rabada and batter Dewald Brevis to come good in the T20 World Cup, calling Brevis an "X-factor" player despite his patchy form ahead of their final group stage match.

Ahead of his side's ICC T20 World Cup clash against the UAE in Delhi, South Africa's coaching consultant and former all-rounder Albie Morkel backed pacer Kagiso Rabada and a patchy Dewald Brevis to come good, terming the latter as an "X-factor player".

Having already made it to the Super Eight stage with three wins in three matches, South Africa will be aiming to make it four wins in four matches and walk into the next round with winning momentum, as they prepare for battles against defending champions India, two-time champions West Indies and an upbeat, in-form Zimbabwe.

Morkel backs 'premier fast bowler' Rabada

Speaking on Rabada, who has taken two wickets in three matches so far at an average of 52.50 and an economy rate of 9.00, Morkel said that his poor numbers so far in the tournament are "not a concern" and can happen to any bowler. "I think if you look around T20 cricket, that can happen to any bowler at any stage where the pressure just gets to you and you maybe have a day, but he is still our premier fast bowler and we are going to double down on him and back him all the way. So I think that is the only way to go if you get too tactical or technical now with guys like that who knows what they are doing, you can confuse them. So for him it is just a fact of accept that performance, move forward and be better next time," he said.

'Brevis is our X-Factor player'

The former all-rounder extended same words of encouragement for batter Brevis, who arrived in the tournament after smashing a century in the SA20 final and ending the tournament as second-highest run-getter with 370 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of over 156, with a century and two fifties. However, since then, he has scored just 4, 17, 6, 23 and 21 in his next five innings, having made just 50 runs in three innings so far in this World Cup at a strike rate of 119.04. Morkel said that there are "no chats" around Brevis' form and they want him to be the "X-Factor" guy who hits sixes and moves at a rapid strike rate, with plenty of other inning builders around him. "We see him as an X-Factor player. We feel if you sort of ask him to play a certain way, you take away that X Factor. And he is going to break your heart at some stage, but he is also going to win you games. So the best way for us with him is just to let him be that guy. We have got enough guys around him who can play the situation if needed, but he is certainly our X Factor player," he added.

On Markram's 'big tournament' form

On captain Aiden Markram's recent run of form, Morkel said he is a "big tournament player". Morkel's good form comes after a long lean patch in T20Is from 2024-25, scoring just one fifty in 27 innings and averaging just over 18. This year, he has turned it around, having made 253 runs in six innings so far at an average of 63.25 and a strike rate of over 172, with three fifties. In the SA20 season before this World Cup, he turned up for Durban Super Giants (DSG), scoring 309 runs in seven innings at an average of 44.14 and a strike rate of 152.97, with a century and fifty. In this T20 WC, he has slammed 150 runs in three innings at an average of 75.00 and a strike rate of over 178, with two half-centuries, including an explosive 79* against New Zealand. "Aiden is a big tournament player. Most of our players had good tournaments during the SA20. So you come into a World Cup with guys in form. I think that's important. And then, like I said, he knows when to step it up. Sometimes, and I do not want to play it down, but sometimes, playing a T20 series after a test match series, the guys are a little bit fatigued and that can obviously have an influence on their performance. But even if you look at his record in the previous World Cup, he is one of the best badass. He is a good leader and is well respected. So I think that is the big difference," Morkel said.

Squads

South Africa Squad

Aiden Markram(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Jason Smith, George Linde, Anrich Nortje, Kwena Maphaka

United Arab Emirates Squad

Aryansh Sharma(w), Muhammad Waseem(c), Alishan Sharafu, Sohaib Khan, Syed Haider, Harshit Kaushik, Muhammad Arfan, Haider Ali, Simranjeet Singh, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Farooq, Dhruv Parashar, Muhammad Rohid Khan, Mayank Kumar. (ANI)

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