South Africa’s star player Abraham Benjamin de Villiers aka AB de Villiers, a person with zero haters, described as Mr. 360 degree, known for his impeccable batting and wicket-keeping performances in the cricket field has announced his retirement from all forms through an Instagram post.
Full details of his sudden public statement are given below.
The declaration of his retirement from every cricket tournament showed up through his long and sentimental social media post of a black and white picture, quoting :
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Thank you
Dankie
धन्यवाद्
He further captioned this photograph explaining the cause of this unexpected call, his adventure throughout the years, rejections, and how his parents and his family have sacrificed the most for all times he was not there when they needed him and how de Villiers hopes to prioritize his family and children as he welcomes the new chapter of his life.
AB de Villiers stated,
“It has been an incredible journey, but I have decided to retire from all cricket.
Ever since the backyard matches with my older brothers, I have played the game with pure enjoyment and unbridled enthusiasm. Now, at the age of 37, that flame no longer burns so brightly. That’s the reality I must accept — and, even if it may seem sudden, that is why I am making this announcement today. I’ve had my time.
Cricket has been exceptionally kind to me. Whether playing for the Titans, or the Proteas, or RCB, or around the world, the game has given me unimagined experiences and opportunities, and I will always be grateful.
I would like to thank every teammate, every opponent, every coach, every physio, and every staff member who has travelled the same path, and I am humbled by the support I have received in South Africa, in India, wherever I have played.
Last, I am aware that nothing would have been possible without the sacrifices made by my family — my parents, my brothers, my wife Danielle, and my children. I look forward to the next chapter of our lives when I can truly put them first.”
His die-hard fans are coming forward, indicating their grief and shock, as this decision has left millions of hearts broken. However, ABD already retired from international cricket in May 2018 but continued to play for T20s.
On the occasion of his unforeseen retirement after 17 years of excellent courtesy, let’s recall some prominent achievements throughout his career:
- ABD debuted with the test series against England in 2004, at the age of just 20 years.
- He owns the record of:
Fastest ODI century-31 balls Fastest 150 in ODI- 64 balls, Fastest fifty in ODI-16 balls when playing against the West Indies.
- He was announced as the captain of the ODI series and T20 series of South Africa after the loss from the world cup, in 2011. Under his captaincy, the South African team won 59 ODIs.
- His fierce on-field chemistry with Virat Kohli is considered one of the favourite partnerships by the fans and has a record of the highest runs in the T-20 series.
- AB de Villiers was thrice titled with the ODI Player of the Year award by ICC in the years 2010, 2014, 2015.
- During the celebrations of the 13th anniversary of the IPL, AB de Villiers was rewarded as the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) among batsmen in the history of the tournament by the jury of Star Sports.
