Donovan Ferreira is making his Indian Premier League debut in Rajasthan Royals’ clash with Delhi Capitals today (May 7). Here’s all you need to know about him.

Ferreira replaced Shimron Hetmyer, who was injured while training ahead of the game, with Rajasthan skipper Sanju Samson confirming it was a precautionary measure to rest the West Indian. This opened up an opportunity for 25-year-old Ferreira, who has played two T20Is for South Africa. A wicketkeeper, Ferreira can also bowl, making him a player with a rare combination of skills.

Ferreira made his international debut last year against Australia and made 48 off 21 deliveries at Durban, top-scoring for the side as they posted 190-8 batting first. His next appearance was against India in Johannesburg, where he made an 11-ball 12.

He played for Joburg Super Kings in the SA20 earlier this year and made an impact, hitting 125 runs in seven innings, striking at 171.23 while batting in the lower middle-order.

Ferreira has played 53 T20s thus far after making his debut in 2018. He’s scored 933 runs at a strike rate of 153.96. Ferreira has struck at 150 or more 47 percent of the time in T20s, emerging as a reliable finisher for the sides he has played for over the years. He is also a handy bowler and has taken 10 wickets at an economy rate of 7.03.

Between 2018 and 2022, Ferreira played only ten games before a blistering CSA T20 Challenge in 2022 brought him into the spotlight. He scored 166 runs across six innings at an average of 83, with the highlight being an unbeaten 60 in 40 balls for Titans against Warriors in the run chase of 164. No other batter from the team could cross 25 and his efforts went in vain.

Last year, Ferreira set the SA20 ablaze with a 40-ball 82* in the second game of the competition, helping his team recover from 27-4 to post 190-6. His innings contained five sixes as Joburg won by 16 runs. He took just 18 balls for his fifty, which remains the fastest in the competition.

He represented Harare Hurricanes in the Zimbabwe Afro T10 in 2023 and smashed five sixes in a row, moving from 57 in 28 to 87 in the space of five balls against Karim Janat, who was playing for Cape Town Samp Army.

Ferreira was bought for INR 50 lakh in the auction last year and he was retained ahead of the 2024 season.

He has also played 11 first-class games, averaging 41.46 and has taken 25 wickets. In 22 List A games, he has picked up nine wickets and has made 661 runs at an average of 38.88 a best score of 138*.

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