AB de Villiers announces return to cricket for upcoming WCL

CAPE TOWN: South African cricket legend AB de Villiers confirmed his return to cricket on Tuesday. He will be competing in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) as captain of the Game Changers South Africa Champions.

The WCL is a premier T20 tournament that features retired players from around teh world. The tournament will kick off on July 18 and will last till August 2. The upcoming WCL is the second iteration of the tournament. The India Champions won the inaugural edition in 2024 when they beat the Pakistan Champions.

De Villiers is making his return to the sport after four years. His last performance in international cricket came in 2018 when South Africa played against Australia. His last performance in the T20 format came in 2021, when he played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

De Villiers announced his return on Instagram in a promo that showcased some of his highlights and his incredible numbers. The South African batter then addressed the fans himself and explained why he was returning to the sport.

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Four years ago, I retired from all cricket because I just didn’t feel the urge to play anymore.Well, time has passed, and my young sons have started playing the game. We’ve been playing more and more often in the garden, and, well, it feels as though some kind of flame has been lit again.

De Villiers stated that he will be returning to the nets, and will be ready to play come July. He also wrote that he’s excited to “renew rivalry with so many legends from five other countries,” in the post’s caption.

The founder of the tournament, Harshit Tomar also expressed that de Villiers inclusion demonstrates the intent behind the WCL.

“This is precisely why we launched the WCL, to bring back the legends we deeply miss.”

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