At 41 years old, AB de Villiers’ performance became the talk of the cricketing world. He delivered a vintage, match-winning masterclass to help South Africa Champions claim their first World Championship of Legends (WCL) title with a dominant 9-wicket victory over Pakistan Champions.
The older, wiser de Villiers rolled back the years with a blistering display of power and precision. NDTV reports that, despite a hamstring injury, the South African’s greatest batter scored 120* off just 60 balls, including 12 fours and seven sixes.
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Pakistan Champions, following the toss win, chose to bat and set a target of 195/5 in 20 overs. Sharjeel Khan led the innings with his outstanding 76 runs off 44 balls (9 fours, 4 sixes). Similarly, Umar Amin (36* off 19) and Asif Ali (28 off 15) added important runs at the end.
For South Africa, Wayne Parnell and Hardus Viljoen took two wickets each.
Chasing 196 to win, South Africa’s opening was not hassle-free. Opening batsman Hashim Amla was dismissed quickly, having contributed 18 runs to the team’s total before his wicket fell.
However, Captain AB de Villiers helped get the team back on track with his powerful 120 not out off just 60 balls, including 12 fours and 7 sixes, reaching his century in only 47 balls.
Not to mention, De Villiers’ powerful and aggressive batting left Pakistan’s bowlers struggling.
JP Duminy supported him well, finishing unbeaten on 50* from 28 balls with 6 fours. Together, the duo put on an unbroken 125-run partnership that sealed the victory in just 16.5 overs. Their team finished at 197/1 with 19 balls to spare and won the 2025 World Championship of Legends at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
Following his third century in four games and dominating the tournament’s run-scoring charts, de Villiers was awarded both Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament.
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Watching from the sidelines, former India batter Suresh Raina couldn’t help but praise de Villiers’ brilliance, saying, “What a knock by AB de Villiers in the final, absolutely smashed it.”
At the same time, Raina also expressed strong confidence in India’s potential, adding, “Had we played, we would’ve crushed them too, but we chose our nation above everything else.”
Well, not only South Africa’s win but India’s withdrawal from the WCL 2025 semi-final against Pakistan caused a major buzz, overshadowing the tournament’s final stages.
Pakistan reportedly qualified directly for the final via walkover, a decision driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions and the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack.
Amit Mishra’s Take
AB de Villiers once again proved that age is just a number. The South African cricketer made it clear that talent speaks volumes. Fans were in awe to watch him dominate the game at 41. This is a reminder of why he is still one of cricket’s greatest entertainers.
