IPL 2021: Twitter goes berserk as AB de Villiers smashes 76 off 34 balls
RCB's AB de Villiers lit up the Chepauk in Chennai with a blistering knock in the game against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). His knock of 76 from 34 balls excited the fans and the experts alike, with all of them expressing great delight on Twitter.
AB de Villiers walked into the middle following the fall of Devdutt Padikkal's wicket in the 12th over of the innings. He didn't hit top gear straight away and was watchful initially as Glenn Maxwell took the attack to the bowlers from the other end.
The South African scored 12 runs from his first nine balls and took off after that, smashing Varun Chakravarthy for a couple of consecutive boundaries in the 15th over.
He was batting on 33 off 20 deliveries when Glenn Maxwell fell for 78 off 49 balls in the 17th over of the innings. After the fall of this wicket, he took it upon himself to get RCB to a big total.
He scored 16 runs in the 18th over, which was bowled by Andre Russell, and added another seven runs to his tally in the 19th over. He went all-out in the final over of the innings and accrued 20 runs as RCB finished with a total of 204/4.
Cricket aficionados were absolutely delighted with his innings, and some even demanded that the 37-year-old must make it back into the South African team again.
Here are some interesting reactions on AB de Villiers' knock:
AB de Villiers' wonderful IPL record in Chennai
The MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai is known for its sluggish tracks, where the batsmen usually find it difficult to score runs. But in the case of AB de Villiers, the scenario is quite different.
AB de Villiers has always enjoyed batting at this venue, scoring 353 runs in 11 IPL innings here, including three half-centuries. His average in this stadium is 44.12, and he bats at a strike rate of 163.42.
His score of 76* in this match is his highest IPL score in Chennai. AB de Villiers' extraordinary ability to slow down and even delay his bat lift while playing on this surface has helped him excel at this venue.