AB de Villiers: Fastest ODI Century in 31 Balls, 360-Degree Batsman, South Africa's Greatest
Abraham Benjamin de Villiers is a South African cricketer born on 17 February 1984 in Warmbaths (now Bela-Bela), Limpopo. He is widely regarded as the most innovative and complete batsman of his era and one of the greatest in history. He scored 9,577 ODI runs at 53.50 — the highest average of any batsman in ODI history with 100+ innings (also including AB's 16 ODI centuries and 25 ODI half-centuries). He holds the record for the fastest century in ODI history: 31 balls vs Sri Lanka at the Wanderers, Johannesburg on 18 January 2015 (replacing Viv Richards's 1986 record of 56 balls). He also holds the record for the second-fastest ODI half-century. Known as 'Mr 360' for his ability to hit the ball to any part of the ground, including behind his head and reverse-sweeping fast bowlers. He retired from international cricket in May 2018.
Abraham Benjamin de Villiers was born on 17 February 1984 in Warmbaths (now Bela-Bela), Limpopo, South Africa. He made his Test debut against England at Port Elizabeth in December 2004, aged 20. A right-handed batsman and wicketkeeper, he became famous not just for his run-scoring but for the extraordinary range of shots he played — hitting the ball 360 degrees around the ground, including scoops over the wicketkeeper, reverse sweeps off fast bowling, and one-handed flicks. He was nicknamed 'Mr 360'.
The 31-Ball Century and ODI Records
AB de Villiers holds the record for the fastest century in ODI history — 31 balls vs Sri Lanka at the Wanderers, Johannesburg on 18 January 2015. The innings came from number 5; he scored 149 from 44 balls (16 fours and 9 sixes), which is also one of the highest individual scores in a run-chase in ODI cricket. He replaced Viv Richards's record of 56 balls (set in 1986) which had stood for 28 years. He has scored 9,577 ODI runs at 53.50 — among the highest averages in ODI history for players with 100+ innings.
Retirement in 2018
AB de Villiers retired from all international cricket in May 2018, aged 34. He had previously played 114 Tests (8,765 runs at 50.66), 228 ODIs (9,577 runs at 53.50), and 78 T20Is. At the time of his retirement, he was considered the world's best batsman across all formats. His international career ended without South Africa winning an ICC major tournament — a fact often cited when discussing the greatest players never to win a world title.
Frequently asked questions
What record did AB de Villiers set in January 2015, and whose record did he break?
AB de Villiers scored the fastest century in ODI history — 31 balls — vs Sri Lanka at the Wanderers, Johannesburg on 18 January 2015. He went on to score 149 from 44 balls. He broke Viv Richards's record of 56 balls, set in 1986 against England in Antigua, which had stood for 28 years. De Villiers is nicknamed 'Mr 360' for his ability to hit the ball to all parts of the ground. He retired from international cricket in May 2018 with 9,577 ODI runs at 53.50 — among the highest averages in ODI history.