KEY POINTS
- AB de Villiers smashed a 39-ball century and scored 123 off 46 balls against Australia
- Now the tournament’s leading run-scorer, de Villiers has notched up scores of 63*, 116*, and 123
LEEDS, United Kingdom: Former South African batter AB de Villiers rolled back the years with a blistering 123 off 46 balls against Australia Champions at the World Championship of Legends on Sunday.
On a golden Sunday at Headingley, the South African maestro lit up the World Championship of Legends with another jaw-dropping century — this time a 39-ball blitzkrieg against Australia Champions that reminded the world exactly why he was once cricket’s most feared innovator.
At 41 years old and seven years removed from the Proteas jersey, de Villiers is playing like a man reborn. Just days after hammering a 41-ball century against England, the former South African captain one-upped himself with a scintillating 123 off 46 deliveries, peppered with 15 boundaries and eight towering sixes.
From the moment he walked out to bat, it was clear Headingley was in for a show. He crashed his way to a 22-ball half-century, unfurling signature inside-outs and piercing cover drives, before turning up the heat in the 10th over — Daniel Christian copping 20 runs from the final five balls.
Then came the fireworks: Wrist spinner D’Arcy Short’s 13th over evaporated for 22 runs, and de Villiers brought up his century in style – a switch-hit boundary that was as outrageous as it was elegant. The crowd roared. The scoreboard raced. Nostalgia ran wild.
Alongside de Villiers, JJ Smuts played the perfect partner, crafting a solid 85 off 53 balls, as South Africa Champions posted a mammoth 241/6.
The revival isn’t just in cameos — AB’s numbers are turning heads across the tournament. His scores so far: 3, 63, 116, 123**, making him the leading run-scorer in the competition.
Add to that a stunning boundary catch earlier against India Champions, and it’s clear: this isn’t a farewell tour — it’s a statement.
