Johannesburg, Sep 11 : Durban's Super Giants star Heinrich Klaasen has urged youngster Dewald Brevis to view his hefty SA20 auction price as recognition of his past achievements and potential rather than added pressure, reminding him that the value reflects the performances, work ethic and talent he has already shown.

Brevis was picked up for R 16.5 million (USD 9,45,000 approx.) by Pretoria Capitals (PC) at the auction on Tuesday night. He also became the second player to break the R 10 million mark, 12 minutes after South Africa's T20I captain and two-time title-winning captain at Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC) Aiden Markram sold for R 14 million to Durban's Super Giants (DSG).

'It's important for Brevis to remember that the price tag he's earned is because of what he's already achieved, not what he still has to do. In this game, you can train as hard as you want and still get out first ball, that's just part of the job. The price reflects his past performances, his work ethic, and the many boxes he's ticked along the way, all of which give him the best chance to succeed. Over the next three years, I don't see his team releasing him, so this period is about building towards the next auction and showing what more he can bring. But ultimately, that big price tag is a reward for his past performances and the potential everyone knows he has," Klaasen told JioHotstar.

Reflecting on three seasons of SA20, League Commissioner Graeme Smith highlighted the league's evolution and growing global presence.

'In terms of delivery, performance, competitive cricket, and viewership, I believe we've made real progress towards being among the top franchise leagues outside India. At various points during the auction, we were even trending in India, which was exciting to see. The SA20 has created a strong platform for South African players, giving many of them global exposure, not just those representing the national team.

"That's something I find particularly rewarding. Another major achievement is how SA20 has helped revive cricket in South Africa. We're seeing fans come back to the stadiums in big numbers, and especially in Season 3, there's been a surge of new audiences attending games. For me, that's one of the most significant successes, growing the game in this country by bringing in more people to enjoy cricket live in stadiums and on television. To be globally successful, a league must first be successful at home, and the incredible support we've received across South Africa has been vital to that journey.'

Pretoria Capitals head coach Sourav Ganguly drew parallels between SA20's role in South African cricket and the impact the IPL has had in India, while sharing his thoughts on securing Brevis.

'As you've seen in the IPL, domestic players hold immense value, and it's the same across world cricket, including here in South Africa. It was expected that players like Aiden Markram and Dewald Brevis would attract big bids given their availability and the number of retentions. Brevis is an exciting talent, his game has improved, we saw that against Australia in the recent series. In auctions, though, money isn't always a reflection of a player's quality, it comes down to supply and demand. We're delighted to have Brevis with us.

"The Centurion offers a good wicket, and I'm sure he will enjoy playing there. There's also a lot of talent coming out of that region which I wasn't fully aware of before this auction. We've received excellent feedback about Brevis from both, the MI setup and the South African team. He's young, and someone we're looking at as a long-term asset, just like Connor Esterhuizen and some of the exciting young fast bowlers, including a 19-year-old, Bayanda Majola, who is rated very highly. These players will only get better with time. As a franchise, we look at the bigger picture, and we're very happy to have secured Brevis," the former India captain said.

/IANS