AB de Villiers: South Africa's 8,765 Test Runs, Fastest ODI Century (31 Balls), Mr 360
Abraham Benjamin de Villiers is widely regarded as the most versatile batsman in the history of ODI cricket and one of the greatest in all formats. Born in Pretoria in 1984, he scored 8,765 Test runs at 50.66 with 22 centuries in 114 Tests and 9,577 ODI runs at 53.50 with 25 centuries in 228 matches. He holds the record for the fastest ODI century — 31 balls against the West Indies in Johannesburg on 18 January 2015. He was nicknamed 'Mr 360' for his ability to play shots in any direction. He retired from international cricket in May 2018 at the age of 34, leaving many to wonder what he might still have achieved.
Abraham Benjamin de Villiers was born on 17 February 1984 in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. He made his Test debut against England in December 2004 and established himself as a world-class player within his first series. He began his career as a wicketkeeper but gave up the gloves to focus on batting. His batting was defined by extraordinary ability to play shots to all parts of the ground — scoops over fine leg, ramp shots over third man, slog sweeps, reverse sweeps, inside-out drives — from any position in his crease, in any direction. This 360-degree range of scoring earned him the nickname 'Mr 360'.
Fastest ODI Century: 31 Balls vs West Indies, 2015
On 18 January 2015 at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, AB de Villiers scored the fastest century in ODI cricket history — off just 31 balls against the West Indies — eclipsing the previous record held by Corey Anderson (36 balls) and before that Viv Richards (56 balls, since 1986). De Villiers scored 149 off 44 balls in the full innings, with 16 sixes and 9 fours. South Africa posted 439 for 2 — the highest team total in ODI history at the time. West Indies were bowled out for 291. The innings transformed global understanding of what was possible in 50-over cricket and elevated the ceiling of ODI scoring.
Career Statistics, Retirement, and Legacy
De Villiers scored 8,765 Test runs at 50.66 with 22 centuries in 114 Tests and 9,577 ODI runs at 53.50 with 25 centuries in 228 matches. His ODI average of 53.50 is among the highest for batsmen with 5,000+ ODI runs. He also played 78 T20Is, scoring 1,672 runs at 26.12. He retired from international cricket in May 2018 at the age of 34, to the shock of South African cricket — without having played in a World Cup final. He explained the decision as personal and related to the need to be present for his family. He was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2022.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest ODI century in cricket history?
AB de Villiers holds the record for the fastest ODI century: 31 balls against the West Indies at the Wanderers, Johannesburg, on 18 January 2015. He scored 149 off 44 balls in the full innings (16 sixes, 9 fours) as South Africa posted 439 for 2 — the highest ODI total at the time. The previous record was Corey Anderson's 36 balls (2014) and before that Viv Richards' 56 balls (1986). The 31-ball record remains the all-time ODI century record.
Why did AB de Villiers retire from international cricket?
AB de Villiers retired from international cricket in May 2018 at the age of 34 — surprising Cricket South Africa and the global cricket community. He cited personal reasons related to his need to be present for his family. He was one of the most in-form batsmen in world cricket at the time of his retirement. He later returned to play for South Africa at the 2021 T20 World Cup but withdrew due to injury before the tournament. He continued playing franchise cricket (IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore) after retiring from international cricket.