AB de Villiers has returned as if he never left—dominant with the bat and electric in the field, showing the agility of someone half his age at 41.
AB de Villiers Shines Again with Match-Winning Fielding in Legends Championship
At 41, AB de Villiers continues to prove he belongs on the cricket field, delivering brilliance in the World Championship of Legends. In the semifinal clash between South Africa Champions and Australia, de Villiers made a stunning last-ball fielding effort that secured a narrow 1-run victory for his team.
With Australia needing three runs off the final ball, Dan Christian managed only a squeezed shot off Wayne Parnell’s yorker, attempting a risky two. De Villiers covered the ground swiftly from long-on and unleashed a flawless, lightning-fast throw to the stumps. Nathan Coulter-Nile, at the striker’s end, was caught well short of his crease, tying the match and forcing a bowl-out to decide the winner.
Australian Legends needed 3 runs off 1 ball & AB de Villiers pulled off a perfect throw to take South Africa legends to the finals of the WCL 2025.
— . (@ABDszn17) July 31, 2025
Talk about clutchnessss.🐐🐐pic.twitter.com/3sJyALTf9e
AB de Villiers tops scoring charts so far
AB de Villiers has been nothing short of electric throughout the World Championship of Legends 2025. Despite four years away from professional cricket following his retirement, his athleticism and alertness remain exceptional, highlighted by several spectacular catches. His batting has been phenomenal, with two centuries and over 300 runs—nearly double that of his closest competitors.
Although his batting didn’t click in the semifinal, South Africa posted a competitive 186/8 in their first innings at Edgbaston, boosted by a blistering 76 off 35 balls from JJ Smuts and Morne van Wyk. In the bowling innings, Australia’s strong start was quickly checked by Wayne Parnell, who took early wickets of openers Chris Lynn and Shaun Marsh and defended 14 runs in the final over.
As captain of the South Africa Champions, de Villiers now aims to lead his side to the title against Pakistan, who remain unbeaten in the group stage and advanced to the final via a semifinal walkover.
