On Monday night in Indore, Royal Challengers Bangalore made 148 for 4 in 20 overs. Six batsmen came out to bat. Five of them struggled, making a combined 55 runs off 74 balls. And one man made 86 off 47 balls.
That man was AB de Villiers. The one man who could have been forgiven for being rusty and struggling to get going after coming back from an injury. The one man who blew everyone away with an innings that defied logic, reason and the laws of physics.
89 runs.
46 balls.3 fours.9 sixes.2 out of the ground.@ABdeVilliers17 has arrived…#IPL #KXIPvRCB pic.twitter.com/b6dfct4Ao8— ScoopWhoop News (@scoopwhoopnews) April 10, 2017
Kevin Pietersen watching from the broadcaster’s studio said it best: What can one say to do justice to that innings?
But the good people of Twitter did a decent job of it, starting with Allan Donald, one of the greatest bowlers to ever play the game.
I did battle against some serious batters in my time. @ABdeVilliers17 is the scariest player on the planet I have ever seen. #breathtaking
— Allan Donald (@AllanDonald33) April 11, 2017
Oh wow I’ve just watched AB de Villiers’ innings 😱😱😱😱unbelievable hitting!! What a genius!! #IPL #RCBvKXIP
— James Taylor (@jamestaylor20) April 10, 2017
@ABdeVilliers17 is to cricket as what @rogerfederer is to tennis… the best in the world!!! 👏🏼👏🏼
— farhaan behardien (@fudgie11) April 10, 2017
I don’t care what anyone says about who is who and how good.
There is no one on the planet that can do what AB de Villiers can do.— Pite van Biljon (@pjvanbiljon) April 10, 2017
That’s Not Moon.That’s AB de Villiers’s SIX That’s On Way To Moon.#KXIPvRCB #RCBvKXIP #IPL #IPL10 #Maxwell #ABDevilliers pic.twitter.com/hhfTICch6p
— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) April 10, 2017
AB De villiers is so good that even the opposition can stand up and simply applaud. But Kings 11 Punjab looking clinical.#KXIPvRCB
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) April 10, 2017
Fielders to Maxwell: Kaun si position pe khada rahu?
Maxwell: Doesn’t matter, AB De Villiers is batting!#KXIPvRCB— The Viral Fever (@TheViralFever) April 10, 2017
It’s not important to have a compass for arc. Mr. 360 also can do this @ABdeVilliers17 #KXIPvRCB
— Pawan Beniwal (@pawanbeniwal635) April 10, 2017
Not surprised at all. It has become a habit for @ABdeVilliers17 to play such surreal cricket. E-X-C-E-P-T-I-O-N-A-L @RCBTweets #KXIPvRCB
— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani) April 10, 2017
Wow … 😍😍😍 #ABDeVilliers #IPL pic.twitter.com/cg7xklRAr1
— Taimoor Zaman (@taimoorz1) April 10, 2017
This Man is Completely a treat to Watch. #ABDevilliers #KXIPvRCB.
— Aasif Sheikh (@iaasifsheikh) April 10, 2017
Poetry on the field in Indore in the form of @ABdeVilliers17 for @RCBTweets
— Sundar Raman (@ramansundar) April 10, 2017
Yes, T20 is a game of sixes. But that six, off a wide ball from Mohit Sharma???
AB de Villiers is a FREAK!!#KXIPvRCB— Nikhil Naz (@NikhilNaz) April 10, 2017
And his South African teammate Morne Morkel perhaps described it the best.
ABD ABD ABD…!!! If I was a commentator I’d do a mic drop and enjoy the show … No words can describe @ABdeVilliers17….wow!!🏅
— Morne Morkel (@mornemorkel65) April 10, 2017
No words, indeed.
Featured image: PTI
