New Delhi: One of the most dangerous batsmen in modern cricket, AB de Villiers of South Africa has retired from every format of the game. Along with this, 37-year-old de Villiers also broke away from the IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). De Villiers started playing with RCB in 2011 and has played 11 seasons. He scored 4491 runs in 156 matches for the team led by Virat Kohli. He is the second-highest run-scorer for RCB after Kohli.
He said, “I played for RCB for a long time. 11 years have just passed and now leaving the team is a sour and sweet experience. It took a long time to reach this decision but I took this decision after a lot of thought to spend time with my family. I would like to thank the RCB management, my friend Virat Kohli, fellow players, coaches, support staff, fans. RCB will always be close to my heart and we will always continue to encourage this team.
AB de Villiers further said, “I am going to be the rcbian for a lifetime. Everyone has become a family to me in the RCB set-up. People come and go, but the feeling and love that RCB has for each other will always be there. I am half Indian now and I am proud of it.”
37-year-old AB de Villiers is one of the most successful batsmen of IPL. AB scored 5162 runs in 184 IPL matches at an average of 39.70 which included three centuries and 40 half-centuries. In the first phase of IPL 2021, he scored 207 runs in 6 innings at an average of 51.75. However, AB could not leave any impact in the second leg played in UAE.
AB de Villiers retires from cricket, ends his journey with RCB in IPL
RCB also tweeted after de Villiers’ retirement, “End of an era! There is no one like you, AB… we will miss you a lot in RCB. Thank you AB for all you have given to the team, fans, and cricket lovers in general… Happy retirement, legend!”
Profile
1. Playing in his fourth ICC CT
2. ODI debut against England at Bloemfontein in 2005
3. In January 2015 he set a new record for the fastest ODI fifty and century, both coming against the West Indies at Johannesburg
4. The next month he followed with the fastest 150 against the same opposition in ICC CWC 2015 at Sydney, from just 64 deliveries
5. No slouch in the longer format of the game, he also has a career-best of 278 not out and South Africa’s fastest Test century to his name
6. Won the ICC ODI Player of the Year award in 2010, 2014 and 2015
7. Joint-highest century-maker for South Africa (24) in ODIs along with Hashim Amla
