From Richard Levi’s explosive arrival to Dewald Brevis’ historic knock, these are the five highest individual scores by South Africans in T20 internationals.
1. Dewald Brevis – 125* vs Australia (2025)
Brevis sits at the top after smashing an unbeaten 125 against Australia in Darwin. The right-hander surpassed Faf du Plessis’ long-standing record to register the highest individual T20I score by a South African. It was a fearless display of power-hitting that confirmed why he is regarded as one of the game’s brightest young talents.
2. Faf du Plessis – 119 vs West Indies (2015)
Before Brevis rewrote the record books, Du Plessis held the national record for a decade. His magnificent 119 at the Wanderers came in one of the greatest T20Is ever played. Although South Africa finished on the losing side after a remarkable West Indies chase, the innings remains one of the finest ever produced by a Proteas batter.
3. Richard Levi – 117* vs New Zealand (2012)
Levi announced himself in spectacular fashion with an unbeaten 117 from just 51 balls in Hamilton. At the time, it was the fastest T20I century in history and showcased the fearless batting that made him one of the most exciting openers in the world.
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4. Reeza Hendricks – 117 vs Pakistan (2024)
Hendricks joined this exclusive list with a classy 117 against Pakistan at Centurion. Mixing elegant strokeplay with calculated aggression, he became just the fourth South African to score a T20I century and underlined his value at the top of the order.
5. Quinton de Kock – 115 vs West Indies (2026)
De Kock forced his way into the top five with a breathtaking 115 from 49 balls against the West Indies at Centurion in January 2026. Chasing 222, the left-hander reached his century in just 43 deliveries – matching the fastest hundred of his career – as South Africa completed one of the highest successful run chases in T20I history. It was his second T20I century and another reminder of why he remains one of the Proteas’ greatest white-ball batters.
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Brevis now owns the record, but it may not stand forever. Tristan Stubbs is becoming one of the world’s leading young all-format batters, while Lhuan-dre Pretorius is among the next generation hoping to one day add his name to South Africa’s list of T20 century-makers. If recent years are anything to go by, another record-breaking innings may not be too far away.
Photo: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
