From the carnage against Dale Steyn, to a standing ovation at the Wankhede: AB de Villiers' top 3 knocks for RCB

If you are a fan of folklore, you must have heard about giants treading the earth in ancient times, and if you are a fan of RCB you must have seen one. Some called him alien while other addressed him as a God. Some deemed him a beast while others were convinced that whatever he conjured on the cricketing field can only be done by a man possessed. A year back, the 11th of October is the last time he took the field in the Red and Gold threads. Just in case if you are still wondering, we are talking about Abraham Benjamin de Villiers.

Roped in the by the Royal Challengers in 2011, AB de Villiers left behind an enviable legacy, finishing as the second-highest run scorer for the Challengers, stitching together 4522 runs at an average of 41.10 at a magical strike rate of 158.33. Over the years spent at Chinnaswamy, he has conjured countless memorable moments and all of them have been etched in the boldest of liveries. As we look back at ABD’s last game in IPL on this day, here are three of his iconic knocks for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

133* (59) versus Mumbai Indians, Wankhede, 2015

This was a surgical strike if we may say as the big man rammed into Mumbai’s fort and razed their citadel comprehensively. After the early departure of Chris Gayle, de Villiers joined Kohli in the middle and what followed suit was rampage of the first waters. Believe this or not, the entire showdown happened against a Mumbai bowling line up that starred the illustrious likes of Malinga, Bumrah, McClenaghan and Harbhajan Singh. Riding high on the Proteas legend, RCB mounted a momentous total of 235 that still remains to be one of the highest-scoring encounters for the Challengers. The knock even got the ardent MI fans to give a standing ovation to the man, a feat very few legends have been privy to in any sport.  

129* (52) versus Gujarat Lions, Chinnaswamy, 2016

In a year that was earmarked to celebrate Virat Kohli, ABD came out all guns blazing, hurtling the marauding Lions into an unfathomable abyss. It was another show of unchecked domination from two of the finest in business. It was ABD who brought out the early fireworks and imbricated it into the rip-roaring fabric while Kohli joined the groove later in the innings. The duo peppered the bowlers to all corners of the park while their opponents could only keep fetching the balls from beyond the ropes. ABD smashed a staggering 10 fours and 12 sixes that constituted a significant part of his 129 that came from just 52 balls. A few days later, he returned to haunt the same opponents with a staggering knock of 79* off 47 balls that single-handedly helped RCB chase down the target of 159 and make their way into the final. 

47* (17) versus Deccan Chargers, Chinnaswamy, 2012

Not every batter on the planet would have dared to brave a peak Steyn Gun and yet there was this man who wouldn’t even have flinched if he was facing the Devil himself. He came out to bat in the 16th over when Royal Challengers Bangalore needed 68 from 28 balls. With zero regard for caution, ABD went flying and such was the South African’s might that even Dale Steyn at the peak of his prowess could only smile in awe of the man. He stayed till the end and administered the coup de grace as the Challengers emerged victorious in a thriller that had written then off even before the game could go half way. If one were to think such domination against one of the world's greatest-ever fast bowlers, he repeated the mayhem a couple of years later.