AB de Villiers has retired from all cricket with immediate effect.
The cricketer, who captained South Africa in three Test matches, 103 ODIs, and 18 T20Is, is widely regarded as one of the country’s greatest-ever cricketers.
He made the announcement yesterday saying in a statement on his Facebook page: ‘Ever since the back yard 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.’
He also thanked the teams he’d played for, singling out the Proteas, his domestic South African franchise, the Titans, and Royal Challengers Bangalore, the Indian Premier League team he most recently played for, as well as his family, and fellow cricketers, including teammates and opponents.
De Villiers holds the record for the fastest-ever 50, 100, and 150 at ODI level, and for a time held the record for the highest score by a South African in a Test match.
He played 114 Tests for South Africa, averaging over 50, and also averaged over 50 in 228 ODIs.
He made his debut for South Africa in 2004, before retiring from international cricket in 2018, having helped South Africa beat Australia in a home Test series for the first time since 1970.
In other cricket news, Tim Paine, the Australian Test captain, resigned from his position, following the emergence of explicit messages he had sent to a colleague in 2017. Commentators noted that this is less than three weeks before Australia plays a Test series against England. Cricket authorities in Australia had also known about the incident since at least 2018, leading some to ask why action against Paine had not been taken sooner.