AB De Villiers Gives A Stunning 89 Runs Knock

AB De Villiers Gives A Stunning 89 Runs Knock[/b]

A belligerent half-century from David Warner, who took his time to get going, rescued Sunrisers after a slow start. Having been asked to bat first, Sunrisers lost two early wickets on a pitch where the ball wasn’t quite coming on to the bat. A vicious Mitchell Starc bouncer had Aaron Finch fending to the keeper while KL Rahul could not repeat his heroics from their last match, slashing a short and wide delivery from Ashok Dinda to Chris Gayle at first slip.

There was no big finish though SRH could only manage 15 from the final two overs, with Starc producing a spectacular final over in which he conceded just six runs. Starc went yorker, yorker, bouncer, yorker, the last of which knocked over Warner’s middle stump to complete a wonderful spell of bowling.

When Yuvraj Singh fell in the 15th over, RCB need 61 runs from 33 balls and it looked like SRH would ruin Bangalore's home coming. AB de Villiers was the only recognised batsman left and Dale Steyn and Bhuvneshwar Kumar still had three overs to bowl between them. None of this mattered to De Villiers. With the crowd chanting ABD, ABD, he tore into the Sunrisers bowling. Darren Sammy was slammed for two sixes and a four as 19 runs came from the 16th over. That reduced the equation to 40 from 4 overs. Steyn returned and the runs dried up momentarily. Three came from the 17th over as Steyn bowled it wide outside off to keep ABD quiet. Bhuvneshwar Kumar followed suit, but De Villiers turned to the reverse-sweep to pick up a crucial boundary. Still 28 were needed from the last 2 overs and Steyn had the ball. That’s when all hell broke loose. De Villiers treated Steyn like a no-name net bowler. He pulled, drove and scooped the world’s best fast bowler for three sixes to turn the match on its head. Irfan Pathan bowled a tight final over but with only 4 needed, Bangalore would not be denied. After the match was over, the ever-gracious Steyn went over and shared a hug with his international team-mate. De Villiers finished with 89 from 41 balls and ruined a good night’s work from Karan Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The pair combined to take 5 for 33 from 8 overs as RCB slumped early. Bhuvneshwar Kumar produced a seam bowling master-class, moving the ball both ways, as he removed Parthiv Patel and Virat Kohli in the second over, the latter for a duck. Chris Gayle struck a couple of sixes but was out-witted by Sharma, who also picked up the wickets of Rilee Rossouw and Yuvraj. That’s when the game turned into the ABD show

 

[Simran Rai]

AB de Villiers’ Masterclass: A Match-Winning 89 Against Sunrisers Hyderabad


AB de Villiers once again demonstrated why he is regarded as one of the finest limited-overs batsmen in the world with a sensational knock of 89 not out off just 41 balls. In a match that initially tilted in favor of Sunrisers Hyderabad, de Villiers took complete control during the death overs to guide Royal Challengers Bangalore to a stunning victory.


Sunrisers Hyderabad had posted a competitive total despite early setbacks, thanks to a composed half-century from David Warner. The RCB bowlers, particularly Mitchell Starc, were in top form, with Starc executing a near-perfect final over that featured a lethal mix of yorkers and a bouncer to dismiss Warner. His economical spell ensured SRH could only manage 15 runs from the final two overs.


Chasing a target that became steep with the fall of wickets, RCB found themselves in a precarious position after Yuvraj Singh's dismissal in the 15th over. With 61 runs needed off 33 balls, AB de Villiers stood as the last major hope for the home side. The scenario was daunting, especially with world-class bowlers like Dale Steyn and Bhuvneshwar Kumar still in action.


What followed was pure brilliance. De Villiers launched a blistering attack on the SRH bowlers, starting with Darren Sammy in the 16th over. He kept RCB alive with innovative shots, calculated aggression, and unshakable composure. Though Steyn and Bhuvneshwar tried to pull things back with disciplined bowling, de Villiers responded with audacious strokes, including a memorable reverse sweep and three sixes off Steyn that shifted the momentum decisively in RCB’s favor.


Finishing unbeaten, de Villiers not only chased down the target but also put on display a knock that fans continue to remember as one of the finest in IPL history. His innings turned the match from a near-certain defeat to an emphatic win, underscoring his ability to single-handedly change the course of a game. The camaraderie between Steyn and de Villiers post-match highlighted the mutual respect among the game's top talents, even in high-stakes encounters.


This performance remains a shining example of what AB de Villiers brings to the T20 format—a unique mix of innovation, fearlessness, and unmatched timing.​