AB de Villiers turns 37: Presenting his monumental feats
South African maestro AB de Villiers turned 37 on Wednesday. Also known as the 360-degree batsman, ABD, ruled international cricket for over a decade. Even after hanging his boots, he continues with his flamboyance in global T20 leagues. The Proteas legend recently turned up for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League 2020. We take a look at his monumental feats.
In an international career spanning nearly 14 years, ABD aggregated 8,765 runs from 114 Tests at an average of 50.66. The tally includes 22 hundreds with a top score of 278*. ABD racked up another 9,577 runs in ODIs at a prolific average of 53.50, including 25 hundreds and 53 fifties. The SA star also featured in 78 T20Is, where he amassed 1,672 runs.
In 2015, ABD went to record the fastest hundred in One-Day Internationals of all-time. He smashed a hundred in mere 31 balls against West Indies at Johannesburg. Overall, ABD registered a blistering 149 from just 44 balls at a strike-rate of 338.63 in that innings match. During the extraordinary innings, he also smashed the fastest ODI fifty (16 balls).
Despite SA's poor run in the World Cups, ABD has made his mark. In 2011, he became the first South African to score two consecutive centuries in a single WC. He was one of the top-performers at the 2015 WC, scoring 482 runs 96.00. By smashing 162 (66) against WI, he became the record-holder for the fastest 50, 100 and 150 in ODI history.
Till date, AB de Villiers remains the highest run-scorer for South Africa in the World Cup history. He has 1,207 runs from 23 matches at a formidable average of 63.52. Overall, he is the fifth-highest run-scorer after Tendulkar, Ponting, Sangakkara and Lara.
Besides international cricket, ABD has a huge fan-base in the T20 format. He is the leading run-scorer in T20 cricket from South Africa, having scored 9,111 runs at 37.49. In the Indian Premier League, he owns sixth-most runs (4,849 runs at 40.40), including three tons. ABD is one of the five players in the IPL to have scored over 200 sixes (235).
162* off 66 balls 👏
— ICC (@ICC) February 17, 2021
17 fours, eight sixes 🚀
Happy birthday to South Africa’s Mr 360, AB de Villiers, who put on a show at the SCG at the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. pic.twitter.com/GHspmq3DhM
