Â鶹APP

AB de Villiers. Photo By paddynapper –

Top 10 Surprising Facts About AB de Villiers   

Abraham Benjamin de Villiers is a former South African international cricketer. AB de Villiers was named as the ICC ODI Player of the Year three times during his 15-year international career and was one of the five Wisden cricketers of the decade at the end of 2019. 

He is regarded as one of the greatest cricketers in the history of the sport. AB de Villiers’ strike rate of 136.73 is the highest among South African batsmen who have scored centuries in World Cup matches. 

With his third player of the match award in World Cups, De Villiers is joint second with Jacques Kallis on the list of South African players with most match awards in World Cups. 

De Villiers averages over 50 in both Tests and ODIs and leaves spectators gasping with his outrageous Strokeplay. 

Here are the top 10 surprising facts about AB de Villiers.   

1. AB Grew Up in Warmbad 

AB was born on 17th February 1984 in Warmbad which is modern-day Bela-Bela in South Africa. His parents were Millie and Abraham Benjamin who AB is named after.

While his father was a general practice doctor who had played with the rugby union in his youth, his mother worked in the field of property. He has two elder brothers Jan de Villiers and Wessels de Villiers.

He was raised in Warmbad town in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The town gets its name from the geothermic hot springs around which it was built and was also called Warmbaths until 2002 when it was renamed to Bela-Bela. 

2. He Played Several Games While in School 

AB De Villiers. Photo By paddynapper –

AB De Villiers is a multi-talented person. During his school period, he played many sports like Hockey, Table-Tennis, Rugby, Badminton, Golf, Swimming, Cricket and any other game he came across.

He was one of the members of the U-14 school cricket team. De Villiers even made it to the U-16 Hockey team of school and the Junior National Hockey Team.  

He was good at playing rugby too and represented the South African Rugby team. The fact that his parents and siblings too were good at multiple sports and played at least one game every day helped him develop into a multi-talented sportsperson.   

3. AB Plays the Guitar 

Apart from sports, AB is good at music too. Along with his friend Ampie du Preez, he rolled out an album Maak Jou Drome Waar (Make Your Dream Come True) that topped the national music charts.  

Their motivational song ‘Show Them Who You Are’ even became the anthem of the Protea’s rise to victory against Australia in 2008-09.  

AB is a singer and songwriter besides playing the guitar. He started learning how to play when he was in Grade five. He carries his guitar on his cricket tours and plays it whenever he has time. He loves listening to Snow Patrol and Collective Soul. 

4. He has Faith in Christ 

AB is a devout Christian with the Bible being his favorite book. According to him, his faith means more to him than playing for his country.

He believes that Jesus has been behind him all this while and has helped him achieve extraordinary things on the field. 

He once said in an interview that he is a devout Christian and would like to pursue a goal in that regard one day. He hopes to start an initiative through which he can touch people’s lives and make the world a better place in whatever way he can.

5. AB is a Philanthropist 

The South African cricket team. Photo by PaddyBriggs –

AB is also a philanthropist by nature and is passionately involved with Francois Pienaar’s Make a Difference Foundation. The foundation is an organization that gives underprivileged children an opportunity to attend the country’s best schools.  

In Johannesburg, AB also adopted a young child in this regard as he mentors him at school. He also donates 100 percent of his fee for giving weekly radio interviews to Make a Difference Foundation. 

6. He Proposed at the Taj Mahal 

AB is married to Danielle Swart, whom he dated for close to three years before tying the knot in 2013.

He proposed to his lady in style at the monument which is considered to be the epitome of love The Taj Mahal in Agra, India. 

They got married on 30th March 2013, just days ahead of the sixth season of IPL. They have two sons and one daughter.

After his son was born in July 2015, he named him Abraham after himself continuing with the family trend. 

7. AB’s Teammate Faf du Plessis is His Childhood Friend 

A game of cricket. Photo by davidmollo –

AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis were the closest of friends from childhood as they studied in the same school, Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool in Pretoria.

They played together for the school’s first cricket team when they were 15 years of age.  Later they went on to lead their country in World Cup.

AB describes his childhood days as a “really relaxed lifestyle up there, where everyone knows everyone.” 

8. President Nelson Mandela Awarded Him for a Science Project 

AB de Villiers was an all round child. He not only excelled in the playground but he was also good at academics.

He received a national medal from the late Nelson Mandela for a science project. The Proteas batting star wanted to study medicine and become a doctor like his father. 

9. His Favorite Number is 17 

AB’s birthday is on 17th February, his favorite lucky number is 17 and so is his Jersey number.

Another coincidence, on 17th May 2022, de Villiers was inducted into the RCB Hall of Fame for his incredible contribution to the team from 2011 to 2021. 

10. He is Mr. 360 

AB de Villiers. Photo By paddynapper –

He is sometimes referred to as “Mr. 360” due to his ability to play shots all around the wicket, and as “Superman” due to his acrobatic fielding. He is Mr. 360 because no matter where you bowl, he will smash it anywhere.  

In T20 cricket he is seen as an attacking batsman who plays a range of unconventional shots. AB de Villiers holds the record for the fastest 50 runs in 16 balls, fastest 100 runs in 31 balls, and fastest 150 runs in 64 balls in One Day Internationals. 

On 19 November 2021, De Villiers announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. He is regarded as one of the greatest cricketers in the history of the sport.