South Africa’s star cricketer AB de Villiers will not join the squad ahead of the much-awaited T20 World Cup. de Villiers announced his retirement from international cricket in 2018 ahead of the World Cup 2019 where the Faf du Plessis-led team won just three out of the nine games and failed to qualify for the semi-finals. However, he has been active in franchise-based T20 competitions.
He was last seen playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the now-suspended IPL 2021. There were rumors that the swashbuckling cricketer has been in discussions with South Africa coach Mark Boucher over a possible comeback in the national cricket team, with a few towards featuring in the T20 World Cup that is all set to be held in October-November in India.
“I haven’t had a chat with Boucher yet. But we are lined up to have a chat somewhere during the IPL. But yes, we have been talking about it. He asked me last year if I would be interested. I said ‘absolutely’,” De Villiers had said last month.
However, on Tuesday, CSA released a statement amidst the rumors of de Villiers returning to the international side. In the statement, CSA stated that the cricketer has decided ‘once and for all, that his retirement will remain final’.
“Discussions with AB de Villiers have concluded with the batsman deciding once and for all, that his retirement will remain final,” CSA said in a statement posted on social media.
Here, check out the tweet:
AB de Villiers finalises international retirement.
Discussions with AB de Villiers have concluded with the batsman deciding once and for all, that his retirement will remain final. pic.twitter.com/D3UDmaDAS2
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) May 18, 2021
Meanwhile, the 37-year-old was in a splendid form for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2021, which was suspended mid-way after several players tested positive for COVID-19. He scored 207 runs in the seven games he played at an average of 51.75 including two half-centuries.
