Former South African Cricketer & Commentator
🌍 South African · Born February 17, 1984
About
Abraham Benjamin de Villiers, widely known as AB de Villiers, is a former South African professional cricketer who is universally regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of the sport. Born in Warmbad, South Africa, de Villiers established himself as an exceptionally versatile athlete, excelling in multiple sports before dedicating himself fully to cricket. He made his international debut for South Africa in 2004 and quickly rose to prominence due to his innovative batting style, exceptional fielding, and wicket-keeping abilities. Known as Mr. 360 for his unique ability to hit the ball to all corners of the ground, he revolutionized modern limited-overs batting. De Villiers holds the record for the fastest ODI century, reaching the milestone in just 31 balls against the West Indies in 2015. He represented South Africa in 114 Tests, 228 ODIs, and 78 T20Is, scoring over 20,000 international runs across all formats. In franchise cricket, he enjoyed a legendary tenure with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League, forming a formidable partnership with Virat Kohli. De Villiers announced his retirement from international cricket in 2018, and subsequently retired from all formats of the game in 2021. Post-retirement, he works as a commentator, cricket analyst, and digital content creator.
Intelligence Summary
Made his international debut for the South African national team in a Test match against England at Port Elizabeth.
Signed by the IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore, marking the beginning of a historic eleven-year stint.
Scored the fastest century in ODI history off just 31 balls against the West Indies in Johannesburg.
Announced his shock retirement from all forms of international cricket while still at the peak of his career.
Formally retired from all formats of cricket, including the IPL and other domestic T20 leagues.
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ESPNcricinfo
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ab-de-villiers-announces-retirement-from-all-cricket-1289943 →