AB de Villiers says he would have felt nice to be playing World Cup 2019

In May 2018, AB de Villiers announced his international retirement and that was a shock for the fans. Not just the fact that he was batting well and still in good touch but that fans expected a lot from him in the World Cup 2019, which was supposed to be his tournament. But AB said that he had enough of the pressures of international cricket, in a combination of the niggles he was carrying and a disagreement with the South African board, led him to announce retirement.

He has since continued playing T20 league all around the world, reminding fans of what he could have done for South Africa in the upcoming mega event. De Villiers is currently playing for RCB in the IPL 2019 and in 10 innings has made 414 runs with the highest score of 82* at a strike rate of 158.01. His current form and fitness still earn him a place in the national team for the tournament.

Would have been nice to play the World Cup

“I look back at my decision (to retire) last year with 100 percent satisfaction. It would have been nice to play the World Cup again I am very happy where I am at the moment. There is no regret. It is pretty unique, you’ve got to be gutsy to do that, sort of put your body on the line. But that’s how I have always played the game, so I enjoy that,” de Villiers told Sportstar.

The 35-year-old finished his international career with phenomenal numbers, in 114 Tests, he made 8765 runs with 22 centuries and a best of 278*. In 228 ODIs, he made 9577 runs with 25 centuries and the best of 176 and in 78 T20Is, he made 1672 runs with the highest score of 79* and 10 fifties.

He holds the record of the fastest ODI fifty (in 16 balls) and fastest ODI century (in 31 balls), both coming against West Indies in an innings of 149 in 44 balls with 9 fours and a world record equaling 16 sixes in  2015.

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