Guwahati News Desk: One of the greatest batters and a legend of the South African cricket team, AB De Villiers announced his retirement from all forms of the game on Friday.
The announcement was made by the 37-year-old versatile cricketer on Twitter.
Expressing his thoughts about the retirement’s decision, the player released a statement, that read as, “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.”
He added, “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.”
Further expressing his gratefulness towards his team, he said, “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. 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.”
Reacting to the announcement of the player’s retirement, the RCB franchise said, “He will go down as one of the greatest players in the team’s illustrious history”.
The Chairman of RCB, Prathmesh Mishra, said, “AB has been a true leader, both on and off the field and we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for his tireless commitment in helping RCB establish itself as one of the premier franchises in the IPL.”
Mishra added, “We wish AB all the best for his next innings in life. He will always be part of the RCB family.”
Regarding De Villiers memorable journey in the world of cricket, he started his association with RCB in 2011 and has enjoyed 11 fruitful seasons with the franchise and was its batting mainstay alongside Virat Kohli. He has played a total of 156 matches for RCB and scored 4,491 runs. He is the second all-time leading run scorer behind Kohli and holds the second and third-highest individual run total in RCB history with 133 not out against Mumbai Indians (in 2015) and 129 not out against Gujarat Lions (in 2016).
