Cricket wasn't always a certainty for Dwaine Pretorius. After missing the 2008 U-19 World Cup due to a torn knee cartilage, Pretorius was contemplating different career trajectories and even got himself an accounting degree. But after his studies, he decided to try his luck at the sport he loved one more time.

A tall, strong and fierce cricketer from South Africa, Pretorius's vaulting development outstripped the pace at which he was talked about and noticed, in the nascent stages of his career. None outside of South Africa knew much about Pretorius.

The under-scrutinised level at which he played, and partly because, being naturally undemonstrative, he tended not to draw attention to himself. Then there was the problem of nomenclature. He arrived on the scene as an imminently noticeable T20 power-hitter but soon found himself as a bowling all-rounder.

Pretorius' climb had been so Apollo-like that it was only in the 2014-15 season that he received his first full contract at Lions. At that point, the discussion was about successors to Zander de Bruyn and Pretorius was seen to be number two or three in the pecking order, certainly behind Chris Morris and possibly neck and neck with Brett Pelser. But he soon showed his worth and was named South African Cricketers' Association's MVP in 2015.

Next year in the second half of 2016, he got his big international break, being picked for South Africa squad to tour Ireland and made his debut in the only ODI played between the two teams. Two months later, Pretorius was flown into the Test squad in Australia after Dale Steyn got injured, however he couldn't make it to the playing XI.

Pretorius and Phehlukwayo won the allrounders race, beating Wiaan Mulder, to make it to the 2019 World Cup squad. The 30-year-old had only played a handful of games for South Africa. The team management surprised many by picking him ahead of Chris Morris for the tournament-opener, only to be dropped after one failure. Pretorius played the final two round-robin matches and bagged the Man of the Match award against Sri Lankan for scalping a three-fer. With the bat, his services were required twice and the allrounder failed to cross single digits on both occasions.

After representing South Africa in all formats, Pretorius retired from international cricket in 2023 to become a free agent to play in T20 leagues around the world. He holds the record for the best bowling figures for South Africa in T20Is (5 for 17 against Pakistan).

Pretorius is involved in a number of franchise leagues with gigs in the IPL (Chennai Super Kings), the Hundred (Welsh Fire), the CPL and with Durban Super Giants in the SA20 where he was picked up for Rand 4.1 million (USD 240,000 approx.).

By Cricketlineguruji staff