Ab de Villiers
Ab de Villiers. Image Courtesy: BCCI

South Africa star AB de Villiers turned 34 on Saturday (February 17). One of the greatest entertainers the game has ever seen, de Villiers has created his own legacy for his stroke-play.

The former Proteas skipper made is fondly known as Mr 360 degree for his ability to hit any ball, anywhere, against any bowler. His wide array of shots only increased as his career progressed. De Villiers’ stroke-play has also earned him the status of cult hero in India.

His scarcely believable shots helped him become one of the most feared batsmen in the world. And he also has the stats to back his reputations. The right-handed batsman is the proud owner of the record of being the quickest to reach fifty, hundred and 150 runs in ODI. The fastest ton came off just 31 balls against West Indies in Johannesburg in 2015.

Watch: Sachin Tendulkar's Surprise Gift For Birthday Boy AB de Villiers
Mr 360-degree in action (Credits: Getty)

The fastest 150 came up in the 2015 World Cup. The batting star reached the 150-mark off just 63 balls. He scored the fastest ODI fifty off just 16 balls. The hard-hitting batsman has scored all of his 25 ODI centuries at a strike rate of over 100.

De Villiers made his international debut in 2004 and has been an integral part of the team since then. So far, he has scored over 19,000 runs across formats. In addition, he has also scored 46 centuries and 105 fifties.

Tributes poured in from all quarters for the modern-day legend and batting legend Sachin Tendulkar also left a special message for the birthday boy. The former India batsman posted a GIF, showing de Villiers’ wide array of shots.

“To a great entertainer… Wishing you a very happy birthday, @AbdeVilliers17. Here’s a small surprise for you in 360,” Tendulkar wrote.

Here is the news feed:

SA vs IND 2018: Michael Vaughan Hails Virat Kohli As Greatest Ever ODI Player

SA vs IND 2018: Anushka Sharma In Awe Of Virat Kohli

 

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