Bevon Jacobs, the South African-born cricketer who recently turned headlines at the IPL auction, has received his maiden call-up to represent New Zealand in the T20 series against Sri Lanka.
From Pretoria to Auckland
IMAGE CREDIT:- GETTY IMAGES
Jacobs made an impression in New Zealand's domestic T20 competition, the Super Smash. He scored 134 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 188.73 for Canterbury Kings, demonstrating his talent as a finisher.
Despite only playing a couple of T20 matches, Jacobs was signed by the Mumbai Indians for INR 30 lakh in the IPL 2025 auction, demonstrating his potential to international scouts.
IMAGE CREDIT: BCCI
Maiden Blackcaps Call-up
Jacobs was named to New Zealand's T20 squad for the series against Sri Lanka on December 22, 2024, which marked the start of Mitchell Santner's time as white-ball captain. His selection is viewed as a tribute to his raw talent and power hitting.
Proving His Mettle in the Warm-Up
Prior to the official series, Jacobs produced an amazing 39 runs off just 16 balls in a T20 warm-up match against Sri Lanka, justifying his selection.