I don't know why AB de Villiers gets out whenever he faces me: Sreesanth

India, in 2007, became the Champions of the T20 format winning the inaugural World Cup edition under MS Dhoni’s captaincy. It was a team effort as a whole and the pace bowler Sreesanth had also played an important role. Though he could scalp only six wickets in seven matches, five of them came in the last three matches against South Africa (must-win game), Australia (Semi-final) and Pakistan (Final).

It all started with the must-win encounter against the hosts South Africa when India had to defend around 120 odd runs to make it to the semi-final. Sreesanth had his tails up with the ball swinging and he returned with exceptional figures of 2/23 in four overs. He scalped crucial wickets of AB de Villiers and Mark Boucher paving the way for India’s win.

In a conversation with Cow Corner Chronicles, the pace bowler recalled the way he had sent back De Villiers during the match. In the third over of the innings, Sreesanth had caught the batsman plumb in front of the stumps only for the umpire to not raise his finger. Moreover, he got De Villiers off the very next delivery and the mode of dismissal was also the same.

The pace bowler also took a cheeky dig at the former South Africa cricketer stating that he gets out to him every time. “I don’t know what happens to De Villiers when he faces me. He gets out every time. In T20 World Cup 2007, he was first plumb but Simon Taufel didn’t give him out. But very next ball, I again got him out lbw,” Sreesanth said.

What was De Villiers thinking then? questions Sreesanth

The 37-year-old is also interested to know what was going through De Villiers’ mind during those two deliveries as he could get him out the same way after umpire gave him not-out. Sreesanth also recalled getting the brilliant batsman out again in the Test series stating that great batsmen get out to him and jokingly said that maybe they don’t like his face.

“Ask him when he comes to India to play IPL that what was going on in his mind when he wasn’t given out when he was plumb and how can he get out very next ball. And then again I dismissed him the very first ball in the Test series. He is a great batsman no doubt but for some reason, batsmen don’t like me or my face,” the Kerala fast bowler further added.