South African star cricketer AB de Villiers announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket with immediate effect. The announcement came as a shock for his fans and cricket lovers alike, as he was recently seen in action for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League 2018. RCB failed to make the play-offs, finishing sixth in the eight-team league.
De Villiers, 34, took to Twitter to make the announcement. The former South African skipper said, "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.
"This is a tough decision, I have thought long and hard about it and I'd like to retire while still playing decent cricket. And after the fantastic series wins against India and Australia, now feels like the right time to step aside.
I’ve made a big decision today pic.twitter.com/In0jyquPOK
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) May 23, 2018
While de Villiers scored 22 centuries and 46 half-centuries in Tests, he has 25 tons and 53 fifties in ODIs to his credit in his 14-year long career. Hailed as a “360 degree cricketer” because of his ability to hit the ball to any part of the ground, de Villiers was known for his exceptional fielding skills and wicketkeeping abilities.
“It would not be right for me to pick and choose where, when and in what format I play for the Proteas,” he said. “For me, in the green and gold, it must be everything or nothing. I will always be grateful to the coaches and staff of Cricket South Africa for their support through all these years. The most important thank you goes out to all of my team mates throughout my career, I wouldn't be half the player that I am without the support throughout the years.
" It's not about earning more somewhere else, it's about running out of gas and feeling that it is the right time to move on. Everything comes to an end. To the cricket fans around South Africa and the World, thank you for your kindness and generosity, and today, for your understanding.
" I have no plans to play overseas, in fact, I hope I can continue to be available for the Titans in domestic cricket. I will continue to be the biggest supporter of Faf du Plessis and the Proteas."