South African star AB de Villiers has kept the Brisbane Heat in the playoffs hunt, with his first BBL half-century guiding his side to a 71-run win over the Melbourne 🐠Stars on Saturday.
After winning th🀅e bat flip, the Heat posted 186-5 on the board, thanks to some lusty late hitting by de Villiers, the Stars fizzled to be all out for 115 runs in reply at the MCG.
Heat were seventh going into the clash with three defeats in a row but can still make the playoffs with a win over the Melbourne Renegades at Mar🌸vel Stadium on Monday.
Stars’ opener Marcus Stoinis, the competition’s leading run-scorer, belted 16 off the first over but departed for 17; Peter Handscomb top-scored with just 27.
Glenn Maxwell (1), Nic Maddinson (9) and Nathan Coul🧸ter-N🏅ile (0) were dismissed in quick succession in a pivotal batting collapse.
Mitchell Swepson (3-31), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2-11) and James Pattinson (2-17) di𒁏d the damage for the Heat with🎃 the ball.
De Villiers helped set up the result, smashing six sixes on his way to 71 from 37 balls, with three of th𒐪em coming from the final ♒over of the innings bowled by Stars debutant Dilbar Hussain.
The Proteas veteran also took the glov⭕es in place of regular wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson and was involved in a run-out of Handscomband (27) and the stumping of Adam Zampa (1).
Here is how Twitter reacted:
What we've been waiting to see from … 😍
MASSIVE!
— Brisbane Heat (@HeatBBL)
AB de Villiers assists a Mujeeb run-out.
Pete Handscomb is the victim of the mix-up 😬
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL)
That's quite ferocious from AB de Villiers 😳😂
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL)
That satisfying smile from AB 💙😍
— RajuTarak🇮🇳 (@TarakActivist)
//twitter.com/𒈔YashdeVilliers/status/12210310289212ꩲ33408
AB de Villiers.. Remember the Name.
— anaam. (@Aayan4910)
//twitter.com/Commander_offl/status/1221008🎀941737336833
Can't ever write off a champion.
Superb performance by AB de Villi♔ers to give Heat a crucial w🍬in.
— CricBlog ✍ (@cric_blog)
AB De Villiers wins his first Man Of The Match Award in the BBL, we've witnessed the same vintage ABD today!! Was so pleasing to watch him in this form.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra)
With gloves 🤩
This is soo goooood!😭❤️— AB’s (@Aditiab17)
