IPL 2019: AB de Villiers Hopes For Better Show From RCB

Former South Africa cricketer AB de Villiers admitted that he is looking forward to joining Royal  Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Meanwhile, de Villiers, who announced his retirement earlier this year, stated that he would continue playing T20 competitions around the globe. RCB mostly disappointed in the last two years, finishing 8th (2017) and 6th (2018) but De Villiers feels that the team has what it takes to do well in IPL 12.

“The IPL remains the biggest T20 tournament in the world, and I can’t wait to rejoin Virat Kohli and the rest of my team-mates at Royal Challengers Bangalore, where we will all be working hard to erase the disappointments of 2018,” wrote in his column for ESPNcricinfo.

“Everybody knows RCB have the potential to win the IPL, and nobody knows quite why we have tended to perform so far below that potential, but we’re not far away, and I fully expect us to be extremely competitive in 2019,” he added.

IPL may move out of India

However, a lot will depend on where the competition will take place as general elections will be underway during that time. As a result,  the tournament is likely to go out of the country in entirety or at least the first part of the competition.

“There is speculation within the game about whether it will be possible for the IPL to take place in India next year, amid uncertainty about the timing of elections and all the associated implications for security arrangements. In an ideal world, the IPL will always take place in India, entertaining those amazing crowds in packed stadiums, but there are wider concerns and I’m sure the authorities will take the correct decision.

“South Africa stepped in as hosts of the IPL in 2009, and there are rumours that if it’s not possible to stage the tournament in India next year, the matches could be played either in South Africa or the UAE. If the UAE is chosen as a venue, the groundsmen will be doing well to maintain pitches after the PSL. We will see what happens,” AB de Villiers concluded.

IPL 2019 is likely to start a tad early this year because of the World Cup in England and Wales, which is beginning on May 30.