AB de Villiers for the Royal Challengers Bangalore
Indranil MUKHERJEE / AFP
On Monday night, former Proteas captain AB de Villiers was at his blistering best for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL.
Now 36, De Villiers smashed an unbeaten 73* (33) that included six sixes as RCB carded 194/2 against the Kolkata Knight Riders to set up a comfortable win.
It was another startling reminder of just how good De Villiers is and how much it hurt not having him available for the 2019 World Cup in England last year.
De Villiers has now hit three half-centuries at this year’s IPL and while he has scored a healthy 228 runs in the competition at an average of 57.00, the most impressive return is his staggering strike rate of 185.36.
Nobody else on the list of top run-getters this year comes close.
De Villiers has now hit 13 sixes in the 2020 tournament, though a number of players including Nicholas Pooran (16), Sanju Samson (16), Rahul Tewatia (15), Ishan Kishan (14) and Rohit Sharma (14) have hit more.
Another former Proteas ODI captain in Faf du Plessis also continues to have a strong tournament and he is third on the list of highest run scorers with 307 from seven innings at an average of 61.40. Du Plessis’ strike rate, too, is improved by his standards and sits at 147.59.
Du Plessis, like De Villiers, has scored three half-centuries so far in this year’s tournament.
Over in the bowling department, South African speedster Kagiso Rabada continues to lead the way and he is easily the form bowler in the competition so far.
The 25-year-old sits comfortably at the top of the list of highest wicket-takers with 17 from seven matches at an average of 12.52 and an economy rate of just 7.69.
To put that dominance into perspective, Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah are the next highest wicket-takers in IPL 2020 with 11 each.
Rabada has been a force throughout the competition, with a combination of raw pace and accurate skill and execution separating him from the rest of the pack.
It is, of course, superb news for the Proteas to see their man strike bowler operating in this way at the highest level.
Here, we take a quick look at how all the South Africans at the IPL have gone so far.
SA players at IPL 2020
Faf du Plessis – 307 runs @ 61.40 and 147.59 (strike rate)
Lungi Ngidi – 4 wickets @ 23.50 and 11.75 (economy)
Kagiso Rabada – 17 wickets @ 12.52 and 7.69
Quinton de Kock – 191 runs @ 27.28 and 143.60
David Miller – 0 runs @ 0 and 0
AB de Villiers – 228 runs @ 57.00 and 185.36
Dale Steyn – 1 wicket @ 90 and 11.73
Chris Morris – 5 wickets @ 7.20 and 4.50
