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AB de Villiers brings up individual century with last-ball six, his father asks if it has been ever done before

AB de Villiers in action in the 1st ODI; the De Villiers family

AB de Villiers scored a century in a very unique fashion during the 1st ODI against India on Sunday, prompting his father Dr. AB de Villiers to suggest that his son had accomplished a feat not done before. The feat in question was ending the innings with a six, and bringing up the batsman’s individual century as a result too.

"I am very glad my son scored a century on the last ball of the innings and that too with a six. Very few players get a chance to complete the century on the last ball and AB de was lucky today," the proud father said. 

"Please do let me know whether any other international player has ever hit a six on the last ball and finish off with a ton," he asked Deccan Chronicle.

Dr. AB de Villiers (the name is common to many male members in the prodigious family) usually has no holiday on Sunday, but stayed back at home to watch every ball of the high-octane India-South Africa clash in Kanpur.

His son did not let him down, building his innings patiently before going on a rampage in the last 10 overs. 65 runs were added in the last 5 overs of the South African innings, as ABD raced to an unbeaten 73-ball 104, his 21st ODI century. With his score on 98 and the team’s score on 297, he launched a six off the last ball to provide a fitting ending to a great innings.

As it would turn out later, the six would be the difference between the two teams, India would lose by 5 runs.

Reaching century with last-ball six

There is no doubt that the South African genius has chanced upon a rare feat in hitting the last-ball six, but to assume that it has not been done in an international match would be going too far.

The act of hitting a six off the last ball to bring up a century has been seen about twenty times in international cricket.  AB de Villiers is only the second to do so against India after Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf.

The doctor AB de Villiers will be in India to witness his son playing his 100th Test match. "I will be in India on November 14 and watch my son's 100th Test at Bangalore," he signed off. 

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