AB De Villiers, also known as ABD, is considered one of the greatest batsmen in cricket history. He was born on February 17, 1984, in Bela-Bela, South Africa.
AB De Villiers Career
ABD made his debut for South Africa in December 2004 against England in Port Elizabeth. He retired from international cricket in May 2018. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at his career, including his early life, domestic cricket, international career, and achievements.
Table of Contents
Early Life and Domestic Cricket
ABD grew up in Warmbad, a small town in South Africa. He was born into a family of sports enthusiasts, with his father being a sports teacher and a rugby coach. ABD showed an early interest in sports, particularly cricket and rugby, and excelled in both from a young age. He attended Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool, an all-boys school in Pretoria, where he played rugby and cricket for the school team.
Debut
ABD made his first-class debut for Northerns in 2003 at the age of 19. He made an immediate impact, scoring a century on debut against Easterns. He finished the season as Northerns’ leading run-scorer, with 423 runs at an average of 60.42. The following season, he scored 622 runs at an average of 44.42, including two centuries.
ABD signed for the Titans
In 2005, ABD signed for the Titans, a franchise team based in Pretoria. He continued to impress with the bat, scoring 647 runs at an average of 53.91 in his first season for the Titans. He followed this up with 773 runs at an average of 51.53 the following season, including two centuries.
International Career
ABD made his international debut for South Africa in December 2004 in a One Day International (ODI) against England in Port Elizabeth. He scored 20 runs in his debut match. He made his Test debut a month later against England in Johannesburg, scoring a half-century in the second innings.
ABD’s breakthrough
ABD’s breakthrough year came in 2005 when he scored his maiden Test century against England in Cape Town. He scored 109 runs in the match and was awarded the man of the match award. He followed this up with another century in the next Test match against the same opponents, scoring 92 and 109 runs in the two innings.
ABD established himself as a regular member of the South African team in all formats of the game. He became known for his aggressive batting style, innovative shot-making, and ability to play a wide range of shots. He was also an excellent fielder and a useful wicketkeeper.
PSL Career
AB de Villiers has not played in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) yet. Although he has expressed his interest in playing in the tournament, he has never been picked by any of the PSL franchises during the player draft.
IPL Career
AB de Villiers has had a very successful IPL (Indian Premier League) career. He has played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) since 2011 and has been a key player for the team.
Here are some of his career highlights in the IPL:
- He has scored a total of 5056 runs in 176 matches, with an impressive average of 40.77 and a strike rate of 151.91.
- He has scored three IPL centuries, with his highest score being 133 not out.
- He has hit 235 sixes in the IPL, which is the second-highest number of sixes in the tournament’s history.
- He has won the IPL’s Most Valuable Player award twice, in 2011 and 2014.
- He has been a consistent performer for RCB, helping the team reach the IPL finals in 2011, 2016, and 2021.
- He has also been an effective wicketkeeper for RCB, taking 95 catches and making 10 stumpings.
Overall, AB de Villiers is considered one of the greatest batsmen in IPL history and is admired for his innovative strokeplay, athleticism, and match-winning abilities.
ABD played a key role in South Africa’s
In 2007, ABD played a key role in South Africa’s run to the semi-finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup. He scored 372 runs at an average of 93 in the tournament, including three half-centuries and a century. He was also named in the ICC World Cup team of the tournament.
Fastest Player
In 2010, ABD became the fastest player to score 5,000 runs in ODIs, achieving the feat in just 91 innings. He also holds the record for the fastest century in ODIs, scoring 100 runs off just 31 balls against the West Indies in 2015.
Test cricket
ABD’s most prolific year in Test cricket came in 2010 when he scored 1,278 runs at an average of 63.90, including four centuries and seven half-centuries. He was named the ICC Test Player of the Year for his performances.
As Captain
In 2011, ABD was appointed as the captain of the South African ODI team, succeeding Graeme Smith. He led the team to the quarter-finals
AB De Villiers Family
AB de Villiers is married to Danielle de Villiers, and they have three children together: a son named Abraham de Villiers and two daughters named Sophia and Kylie de Villiers.
Danielle de Villiers is a South African model and a former Miss South Africa finalist. The couple got married in 2013, and they have been together for more than a decade. AB de Villiers often shares pictures of his family on his social media accounts and has spoken publicly about the importance of his family in his life.
AB De Villiers Records
AB De Villiers, also known as ABD, has broken numerous records during his illustrious career in international cricket. He is considered one of the greatest batsmen in the history of the sport, known for his aggressive batting style, innovative shot-making, and ability to play a wide range of shots. In this article, we will take a look at some of the records that ABD has broken during his career.
Fastest century in ODIs
ABD holds the record for the fastest century in One Day Internationals (ODIs), which he achieved against the West Indies in Johannesburg on January 18, 2015. He scored 100 runs off just 31 balls, breaking the previous record held by Corey Anderson of New Zealand, who had scored a century off 36 balls. ABD’s innings included 10 fours and 12 sixes and helped South Africa to score 439/2, the second-highest total in ODI cricket.
Fastest 50 in ODIs
ABD also holds the record for the fastest fifty in ODI cricket, which he achieved against West Indies in Sydney on February 27, 2015. He scored 50 runs off just 16 balls, breaking the previous record held by Sanath Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka, who had scored fifty off 17 balls.
Fastest 150 in ODIs
ABD also holds the record for the fastest 150 in ODI cricket, which he achieved against the West Indies in Sydney on February 27, 2015. He scored 162 runs off just 66 balls, including 17 fours and 8 sixes.
Most sixes in an innings
ABD also holds the record for the most sixes in an inning in ODI cricket. He hit 16 sixes during his innings of 149 off 44 balls against the West Indies in Johannesburg on January 18, 2015.
Most consecutive innings with a fifty or more in ODIs
ABD holds the record for the most consecutive innings with a fifty or more in ODIs. He achieved this feat during the 2016 calendar year, scoring a fifty or more in 12 consecutive innings.
Fastest 50, 100 and 150 in Tests by a South African
ABD holds the record for the fastest 50, 100, and 150 in Test cricket by a South African. He achieved these milestones during his innings of 75 off 58 balls, 31 off 12 balls, and 78 off 44 balls, respectively, against India in Johannesburg on December 18, 2013.
Most Test innings without a duck
ABD holds the record for the most Test innings without a duck.
FAQs
Who is AB de Villiers?
AB de Villiers is a retired South African cricketer, widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. He played for the South African national team from 2004 to 2018.
What is AB de Villiers’ batting style?
AB de Villiers is a right-handed batsman who is known for his unorthodox strokeplay and ability to play shots all around the ground. He is particularly skilled at playing innovative shots and improvising in difficult situations.
When did AB de Villiers make his international debut?
When did AB de Villiers make his international debut?
AB de Villiers made his international debut for South Africa in a One Day International (ODI) against England in February 2005. He made his Test debut later that year against England as well.
What are some of AB de Villiers’ major achievements in cricket?
AB de Villiers is widely regarded as one of the best limited-overs batsmen in the history of the game. He holds numerous records, including the fastest century in ODIs (31 balls) and the fastest fifty in T20Is (16 balls). He was also named as the ICC ODI Player of the Year in 2010, 2014, and 2015.
What was AB de Villiers’ highest score in Test cricket?
AB de Villiers’ highest score in Test cricket is 278 not out, which he scored against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in 2010.
Did AB de Villiers captain the South African cricket team?
Yes, AB de Villiers captained the South African cricket team in all three formats (Test, ODI, and T20I) from 2012 to 2017.
When did AB de Villiers retire from international cricket?
AB de Villiers announced his retirement from international cricket in May 2018, bringing an end to a stellar career that spanned more than a decade.
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