Star Proteas player AB de Villiers shocked the cricketing world by announcing his retirement from all formats of the game with immediate effect.
He represented Royal Challengers Bangalore till last week and had a fantastic season amassing 6 half centuries. He was a part of the test winning squads against Australia and India at home earlier this year.
AB de Villiers announces his retirement on Video; bids goodbye to all forms of cricket
AB represented South Africa in 114 tests, 228 ODI”S and 78 T20″s till now. He scored over 19,000 runs in all the formats of the game and is regarded as the modern day legend by cricketing fans and experts across the world. Though it was expected that he will be playing World cup 2019 as his last International tournament, he had taken this decision as he was “tired”.
AB, one of the clean hitters of the ball holds several records to his name. Particularly the fastest 50,100 and 150 in the ODI formats. He also holds the record for maximum catches by a wicketkeeper in a test match.
Though he had some time off the test cricket for some time, he made a comeback in the historic 4-day test against Zimbabwe in December 2017. His efforts to save the side from defeat in his last series against Australia was really appreciated by many. Nonetheless, this is really a “surprise” call from the Superman and cricket will really miss him in the years ahead.
Twitter was shell-shocked by this announcement and this is how it reacted :
Thank u Alien AB de Villiers! 🏆
For some great entertainment,
For those 360 degree wagon-wheels,
For those spectacular catches!
Cricket will miss you! 😢🏏❤️— Shreyas Srinivasan (@ShreyasS_) May 23, 2018
BREAKING NEWS: @ABdeVilliers17 calls time on sterling 14-year Proteas career. @StandardBankZA Proteas batsman, AB de Villiers, today announced he will retire from all forms of international cricket with immediate effect. #ABretires pic.twitter.com/bGRHe8tYCQ
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) May 23, 2018
AB de Villiers destroyed Aust earlier this year and at times played as well as I've ever seen any batsman do so. The fact he's retiring without taking a crack at the 2019 World Cup is disappointing
— Daniel Brettig 🏏 (@danbrettig) May 23, 2018
Many congratulations @ABdeVilliers17 on a glorious Cricket career. You enriched the game with your ability, presence and mannerisms and will continue to be a role-model for aspiring cricketers. Wish you a very happy post-retirement life.
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) May 23, 2018
Watta player watta man @ABdeVilliers17 congratulation on ur great career n wish u all the luck for future endeavours #ABRetires #legend
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) May 23, 2018
Congratulations on a wonderful career @ABdeVilliers17 . It was great playing with you. All my best wishes to you for the life ahead.
— Jasprit Bumrah (@Jaspritbumrah93) May 23, 2018
In my experience, only four overseas cricketers have enjoyed — perhaps even exceed — the mass popularity and admiration of Indian superstars: Sir Gary Sobers, Viv Richards, Imran Khan and @ABdeVilliers17. Because of the IPL, India had become ABD's second home
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) May 23, 2018
@ABdeVilliers17 It was a pleasure to have been involved in many battles with you on the international stage. A true South African legend. #Superman
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) May 23, 2018
Thank you @abdevilliers17 for being a big brother to me. I've learnt a great deal from you. The whole cricketing world and the fans will miss your magic. Thank you for the unlimited entertainment that you've given all of us. Won't be another one like you Mr.360 #wewillmissuABD pic.twitter.com/prjEoHQxQz
— Yuzvendra Chahal (@yuzi_chahal) May 23, 2018
Sudden but we're confident there was immense thought and contemplation behind the decision. You have to come back to Bengaluru in 2019 ❤️🙌 #Mr360 #PlayBold #RCB https://t.co/dWNlH5Ygoo
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) May 23, 2018
Dear Abraham Benjamin de Villiers, you class act, the #ProteaFire will not be the same without you! Take a bow! #WhistlePodu @ABdeVilliers17 🦁💛
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 23, 2018
AB De Villiers announces his retirement 😔 pic.twitter.com/2SyZiNVkf8
— Karan Talwar (@BollywoodGandu) May 23, 2018
One of the all time greats of the game, many congratulations #ABDevilliers on an outstanding career. The Federer of Cricket, the most loved cricketer on the planet. Wish you the best for your future endeavours. pic.twitter.com/WEuHEdbuQy
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) May 23, 2018
I dont think any other non-Indian cricketer's retirement can upset us as much as AB de Villiers'.
— Diya (@TheCricketGirll) May 23, 2018
He's been at the helm of innovative hitting for years at the highest level! All the best for your future endeavours, @ABdeVilliers17! #CricketMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians https://t.co/GmbPh3CWxs
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 23, 2018
One of my most cherished wickets! 🙂 Most of the times it was a massive challenge getting you out. Congratulations on a wonderful career @ABdeVilliers17 👏 pic.twitter.com/jezZ1kwDCw
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) May 23, 2018
Congrats on a spectacular career @ABdeVilliers17 great entertainer fabulous player and a wonderful human being.all the best for ur future endeavours #champion
— Angelo Mathews (@Angelo69Mathews) May 23, 2018
30th Dec 2004 – the day i became an AB de Villiers fan, that day he came to bat at number 8 when SA were 173/6 on the 5th day of Durban Test & 20 years old AB played a match saving knock of 52* runs against bowlers like Hoggard, Harmison,Flintoff & Jones in his 2nd Test of career
— JSK (@imjsk27) May 23, 2018
One of the best players to have EVER PLAYED THE GAME!
Thank you for all the advice and lessons… all the best for your future endeavours @ABdeVilliers17 👊#Salute #BestEver pic.twitter.com/PnvpMDr4ow
— Tabraiz Shamsi (@shamsi90) May 23, 2018
Sunil Gavaskar once said, ‘Retire when people ask why, not when they ask why not?’ Still, the @ABdeVilliers17 retirement is too early. Today sports science doesn’t care abt chronological age. It’s abt your performance age. By those metrics ABD’s in his late 20s. And what talent.
— Rahul Bose (@RahulBose1) May 23, 2018
Cricket fans to ABD. #ThankYouAB #ABDevilliers pic.twitter.com/jUksm1Umsd
— Aditi. (@Sassy_Soul_) May 23, 2018
Adding one more to the list of Superheros.
AB de Villiers#ThankYouAB pic.twitter.com/SfcKkrcTkf— Krishna (@Atheist_Krishna) May 23, 2018
An inspiration to millions, and one of the greatest to have come from South Africa. @ABdeVilliers17 retired a true legend!
— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) May 23, 2018
WC 2019 will miss @ABdeVilliers17 and so will South Africa. An amazing champion going out without a World Cup trophy. Tough perhaps. Could he not have pushed the body for one final crack?
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) May 23, 2018
What? AB de Villiers has retired?
Sigh!
With AB gone, Cricket will now start with a C.— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) May 23, 2018
https://twitter.com/JagratiShukla29/status/999267441531281408
Takes a gentleman to know when enough is enough. Was an absolute pleasure to follow your career. Now go find something difficult to do! Well done AB! @ABdeVilliers17 pic.twitter.com/ld0tafzhk9
— Albie Morkel (@albiemorkel) May 23, 2018
https://twitter.com/SuperGops/status/999253842221977600?s=19
I remember this young guy on his 1st day out for Proteas… What an inspiration, person and player he turned out to be. Thank you for everything you have done and been for your country, teammates and fans @ABdeVilliers17 #legend pic.twitter.com/8gQBDWbAp7
— Mark Boucher (@markb46) May 23, 2018
Like your on-field game, may you have 360-degree success off the field as well. You will definitely be missed, @ABdeVilliers17. My best wishes to you! pic.twitter.com/LWHJWNXcVG
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) May 23, 2018
Congratulations @ABdeVilliers17 , the most loved cricketer in the world, on a wonderful career. International cricket will be poorer without you, but you will continue to be celebrated by cricket fans around the world pic.twitter.com/uA7CBlYE9F
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) May 23, 2018
As the Proteas legend @ABdeVilliers17 calls it a day on his international career, we at BCCI would like to wish him all the very best for his future endeavours #ABRetires pic.twitter.com/3iRCrJjva6
— BCCI (@BCCI) May 23, 2018
Thank you for all the memories @ABDevilliers17 🙌#ABRetires pic.twitter.com/k1z07madj1
— ICC (@ICC) May 23, 2018
One of the world's finest and most versatile batsmen, retires today. He's played brilliantly till now and the world will surely miss seeing him on the field. @ABdeVilliers17
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) May 23, 2018
I said in a blog sometime back that @ABdeVilliers17 was the true natural successor to Lara. He too can ask " Did I entertain?" And the answer would be a resounding "Yes. Yes!"
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 23, 2018
AB De Villiers did what he always does. He has left everyone gasping.
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) May 23, 2018
https://twitter.com/ImAbhishek7_/status/999270210786934785
https://twitter.com/hershybru/status/999265009489281030
