Watch- AB de Villiers names the most difficult bowler he has ever faced

AB de Villiers is often called the most talented batter in the world of cricket. The South African, who abruptly retired from international cricket in 2018 and from all cricket in 2021, is known as ‘Mr. 360,’ thanks to his ability to hit sixes and fours all around the cricket ground during his career.

AB de Villiers, who made his South Africa debut in 2004, played 114 Tests, 228 ODIs, and 78 T20Is. He scored 8765 Test runs with 22 centuries and a best score of 278* with an average of 50.66. He has 9577 ODI runs at an average of 53.50 and a strike rate of 101.09, with the best score of 176.

In T20Is, he scored 1672 runs with a best of 79* and a strike rate of 135.16. AB de Villiers holds the record for the fastest fifty in ODIs, in 14 balls, which came against the West Indies in 2015. In the same match, De Villiers hit the fastest ODI century as well, reaching the three-figure mark in 30 balls with 16 sixes to his name.

It was almost unfair: AB de Villiers on troubles facing Mohammad Asif

The legendary South African batsman AB de Villiers acknowledged that playing Pakistan's fast bowler Mohammad Asif was "almost unfair" because "he just had too much skill." De Villiers went on to describe Asif as a "really, really good bowler," adding that it felt like he was "playing with me."

Asif grabbed 106 wickets at an average of 24.36 while playing for Pakistan in 23 Test matches. In 38 One-Day Internationals, he also took 46 wickets at an average of 33.13. The 42-year-old concluded his T20I career with 13 wickets at an average of 26.38 from 11 games.

Despite his admiration for Asif, De Villiers acknowledged that he would have loved to face him when he was older and "very sound technically."

“I think of Mohammad Asif when I was younger, the great Pakistani. To be fair to myself, I wasn’t really comfortable with my own technique at that time. I had some flaws; I was taking the bat behind my back, so… I would have loved to face him now or when I was a bit older, very sound technically, knowing what I’m doing out there. But to face him at that time was just… it was almost unfair. He just had too much skill; he was playing with me, it felt like. Really, really good bowler,” he said during the Shubhankar Mishra podcast.

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