Cricket South Africa | Player Profile

Richard Ernst Levi

Richard Levi earned his first call-up to the Proteas’ T20 squad for the home series against Australia following a phenomenal run of domestic form for the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras where he actually became a dominant opening partner for Herschelle Gibbs.

He did not make the starting XI during that series but, when the chance came on the subsequent tour to New Zealand, he laid down his marker in typically explosive fashion. In only his second outing he matched Chris Gayle’s world best of 117 and also established two world marks of his own by reaching his century off only 45 balls (the entire innings only took 51 balls) and hitting 13 sixes! It was an innings that earned him the ICC T20 Performance of the Year award for 2012.

He currently has a strike rate of 155 in T20 International cricket.

He had previously been overlooked at the IPL auction but his form in New Zealand immediately earned him a contract with the Mumbai Indians.

An enormously powerful young man with strong forearms and shoulders, he also has the skill levels to complete a formidable package. While a schoolboy at Wynberg Boys’ High he broke most, if not all, of Jacques Kallis’ junior batting records.