De Villiers’ Performances Instrumental in South Africa Champions’ WCL Triumph

Former South African batting icon AB de Villiers clarified on Sunday that he will not be reversing his retirement to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He mentioned that the tournament’s extensive duration, requiring a commitment of three months, is not something he is prepared for at this stage in his life.

During a conversation on a YouTube podcast, when questioned about a potential IPL comeback similar to MS Dhoni, who is still active at 44, de Villiers dismissed the idea, stating:

“I’ll be too nervous. I think I’d rather just support. I’m a very good supporter. The IPL is just very long, and it’s a three-month tournament. It’s a really big commitment for someone at the age of 41,” de Villiers remarked.

The former cricketer, whose last IPL appearance was in 2021, jokingly added:

“You can’t compare me to Dhoni. I work a lot harder. I had a lot more hard work through the years… I’m just kidding. Hats off to them. But we’re all different. I gave it my best shot, and I’m happy.”

De Villiers also conveyed his gratitude for the ongoing support he received during his recent involvement in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025.

“We had a ground called Northampton, County Cricket Club, and as I arrived, there were a lot of RCB fans. I immediately picked up the chants. It was very cool to hear that again.

“Obviously, RCB are the current champions of the IPL, finally, for the first time, I am very happy to say that. It’s great to hear the chants even here in the United Kingdom,” he concluded.

Notably, de Villiers’s remarkable unbeaten century propelled South Africa Champions to a decisive nine-wicket victory over Pakistan Champions, securing the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 title at Edgbaston on Saturday.

In pursuit of a challenging target of 196 runs, the Proteas achieved the required score comfortably, losing only one wicket and with 19 balls remaining, largely due to de Villiers’ exceptional batting performance.

The right-handed batsman showcased his prowess with 12 boundaries and seven sixes, amassing an unbeaten 120 off just 60 deliveries, marking his third century in the WCL 2025.

He formed a dominant 72-run opening stand with Hashim Amla, who was dismissed by Saeed Ajmal on the final ball of the batting powerplay, having scored 18 off 14 balls.

Duminy, initially struggling to find his rhythm, eventually accelerated his scoring, finishing with an unbeaten 50 off 28 deliveries, including four fours and two sixes, providing valuable support to de Villiers during their decisive 125-run partnership.

For Pakistan Champions, Ajmal was the only bowler to claim a wicket, while the remaining bowlers went without success.