It is no surprise that cricket lovers across the globe appreciate the special talent and ability of a legendary batsman in the game, namely, AB de Villiers, who is arguably the most entertaining cricketer in T20 cricket.
Well-known for his unique ability to obliterate bowling attacks to all corners of the park, de Villiers has been credited with the moniker ‘Mr. 360’, for his exquisite batting style which is pleasing to the eye but not so much at the receiving end, if you’re the bowler. ABD’s sound technique while smashing the white-cricket ball is what makes him so special.
However, since surprising the whole world by announcing his retirement from international cricket in May 2018, de Villiers has more than made up for lost time with his batting exploits for IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He has been with the team right from 2011 and is itching to take the field as a bonafide RCB legend in the upcoming IPL 2021’s second leg being held in the UAE.
Having donned the famed red jersey of RCB for 148* appearances in the IPL, AB boasts of an enviable record in the elite T20 competition of scoring 5056 runs at an average of 40.8 with a strike rate of 152.4. An absolutely stellar association with the Bangalore franchise, second to none in the whole league.
ABD, as he is referred to by RCB fans, on Thursday (September 9) shared a post on his official Instagram handle that was originally a fanmade picture and captioned it cheekily as a pun on his name.
“Really excited about our new signing, Apie de Villiers #fanphotothursday” wrote de Villiers.
This picture took the netizens by storm as ABD’s post was liked by over 11 lakh of his followers on IG. It left all his fans including RCB loyalists in splits, as AB hilariously took his own case by sharing the screen with the RCB skipper Virat Kohli in a morphed ‘ape-like avatar.
De Villiers further commented, “In memory of all my friends who calls me Ape de Villiers” on the pic with a laughing emoji. Surely, ‘Ape de Villiers’ is what tickled the funny bone of his fans and followers alike.
As the start of the gala T20 event — IPL 2021’s remaining second leg to be held in the UAE draws closer, de Villiers has joined the RCB camp and is determined to see his side through to the playoffs this year.
AB de Villiers will be an important player, as always, for the Virat Kohli-led franchise as they open their second stint of the IPL against KKR on September 20 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
