In shocking news to all the cricket fans, Protea ace cricket AB de Villiers announced his retirement from international cricket. Nobody saw this coming. But it’s a news that is hard to digest especially for the ABD lovers.
‘Superman’ with the bat and ‘Spiderman’ on the field, AB de Villiers had carved out a reputation for himself as the successful cricketer. He was a consummate surgeon at the crease and South Africa will miss one of the best batsmen in the world.
He is capable of striking from ball one which makes him a class apart. He has been an integral part of South African cricket history. His contributions to the game will forever be remembered, relished and rejoiced by his fans.
On combining the game with caution and aggression, he has entertained the fans at the best scene. AB de Villiers has a huge fan-following in India. The fans will be looking forward to seeing more of his fruitful services in the upcoming IPL.
The ace batsman holds the record for the fastest 50, 100 & 150 in ODI cricket history. He finishes his career with a handsome 20,014 international runs (8765 in Tests, 9577 in ODIs and 1672 in T20Is) chipping in with a batting average over 50 in both Tests and ODIs.
“I have decided to retire from all international cricket with immediate effect,” de Villiers said on Wednesday (May 23). “After 114 Test matches, 228 ODIs and 78 T20 Internationals, it is time for others to take over. I have had my turn, and to be honest, I am tired,” de Villiers said.
“This is a tough decision, I have thought long and hard about it and I’d like to retire while still playing decent cricket. After the fantastic series wins against India and Australia, now feels like the right time to step aside.
“It would not be right for me to pick and choose where, when and in what format I play for the Proteas. For me, in the green and gold, it must be everything or nothing. I will always be grateful to the coaches and staff of Cricket South Africa for their support through all these years.
The most important thank you goes out to all of my teammates throughout my career, I wouldn’t be half the player that I am without the support throughout the years,” he added.
“It’s not about earning more somewhere else, it’s about running out of gas and feeling that it is the right time to move on. Everything comes to an end. To the cricket fans around South Africa and the World, thank you for your kindness and generosity, and today, for your understanding,” AB said.
“I have no plans to play overseas, in fact, I hope I can continue to be available for the Titans in domestic cricket. I will continue to be the biggest supporter of Faf du Plessis and the Proteas,” ABD concluded.
