AB de Villiers has announced his retirement from international cricket
Star South Africa batsman AB de Villiers has announced his decision to retire from international cricket with immediate effect, stating, via a video message, that he had “run out of gas.”
The 34-year-old batsman said ‘the time is right’ for him to hang up his boots, bringing a close to a sterling 14-year career.
The middle order batsman announced his retirement on Twitter.
“I have made a big decision today,” de Villiers posted on Twitter along with the video where he talks about his decision.
I’ve made a big decision today pic.twitter.com/In0jyquPOK
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) May 23, 2018
“I have decided to retire from all international cricket with immediate effect,” de Villiers said on Wednesday (May 23). “After 114 Test matches, 228 ODIs and 78 T20 Internationals, it is time for others to take over. I have had my turn, and to be honest, I am tired,” de Villiers said.
De Villiers finishes his career with a staggering 20,014 international runs (8765 in Tests, 9577 in ODIs and 1672 in T20Is) and averages over 50 in both Tests and ODIs. It was widely expected that de Villiers would play on for South Africa, at least in the limited-overs formats, until next year’s World Cup given his constant proclamations of wanting to win a major title with the national team. He has since had a change of heart.
De Villiers made his first class debut in 2003 for the Northerns against a Western Province side and made a mark almost immediately by scoring half-centuries in each innings of that game while opening the batting. In a little over a year’s time, he was fast-tracked into the Test side and opened the batting alongside Graeme Smith in the Port Elizabeth Test against England.
ALSO READ : IPL 2018 : CSK have reached the final seven times in their 9 IPL seasons
