Opening the innings alongside JJ Smuts, de Villiers wasted little time in finding his rhythm. The duo forged a colossal 187-run stand off just 81 balls for the first wicket, laying the foundation for South Africa Championsâ imposing total. De Villiers began cautiously, collecting a few singles early on
AB de Villiers (Pic: AFP)
Legendary South African batter AB de Villiers rolled back the years as he smashed a stunning 39-ball century in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025. The 41-year-old lit up Headingley in Leeds on Sunday with a sensational knock against Australia Champions, guiding his side to a formidable total of 241/6 in 20 overs.
Opening the innings alongside JJ Smuts, de Villiers wasted little time in finding his rhythm. The duo forged a colossal 187-run stand off just 81 balls for the first wicket, laying the foundation for South Africa Championsâ imposing total. De Villiers began cautiously, collecting a few singles early on, before unleashing his trademark aggression in the third over, launching into Brett Lee with a towering six and a crisp boundary.
Retirement? What Retirement? đââïž
â FanCode (@FanCode) July 27, 2025
ABD follows up his 41-ball hundred vs England with a 39-ball hundred vs Australia đ„#WCL2025 #ABdeVilliers pic.twitter.com/lK89E3jsSc
The onslaught continued as he tore into the Australian bowling attack, particularly targeting Peter Siddle for 16 runs in a single over. De Villiers raced to his half-century in just 22 balls, after which he went into overdrive. In the 11th over, he mercilessly dismantled D'Arcy Short, hitting him for five consecutive boundaries, four fours and a six, and reached his hundred in just 39 balls.
He was eventually dismissed for a magnificent 123 off 46 balls, decorated with 15 boundaries and eight sixes, much to the delight of the packed Headingley crowd. His opening partner, Smuts, also played a crucial role, hammering a fluent 85 off 53 deliveries, including ten fours and three sixes.
Despite the carnage, Australia Champions found some respite through Siddle, who emerged as their best bowler with figures of 3/38 from his four overs.
This was not de Villiersâ first standout performance in the tournament. Earlier in the competition, he had notched up another explosive century, an unbeaten 116 off just 51 balls, against England Champions. That innings, which featured 15 fours and seven towering sixes, helped South Africa chase down a target of 153 in just 12.2 overs.
With 303 runs in four innings at an astonishing average of 151.5, De Villiers currently leads the tournament's run-scoring charts. His tally includes two centuries and a half-century, underlining his dominance in the tournament.
Thanks to his heroics, South Africa Champions now sit comfortably in second place on the WCL 2025 points table, with six points from four matches.
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