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In a thrilling encounter between Texas Super Kings and Seattle Orcas during the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 season, veteran cricketer Faf du Plessis once again proved why he’s held in such high regard in the cricketing world. Leading from the front, Du Plessis pulled off a selfless act on the field—one that left fans and pundits applauding his unwavering commitment to the team’s cause.
Faf du Plessis retires himself out on 91 in stunning act of sportsmanship
In a rare and commendable gesture, Du Plessis stunned cricket fans across the globe by retiring himself out on 91 runs during the encounter against Seattle Orcas. While centuries are often cherished milestones in T20 cricket, Du Plessis chose to prioritize his team’s needs over personal glory.
The decision came at the end of the 19th over when the Super Kings were cruising at 181/2. Rather than chasing a well-deserved hundred, Du Plessis walked off voluntarily to allow big-hitter Donovan Ferreira to capitalize on the final over. It marked a historic moment in T20 history — the first time a batter retired out in the 90s purely for tactical reasons.
Though Du Plessis’ decision was bold and selfless, the outcome wasn’t as fruitful as he might have hoped. Ferreira, known for his power-hitting, could only manage 3 runs before being bowled by Cameron Gannon on the fifth delivery of the final over. Texas Super Kings could add just 7 runs in the last over, ending their innings at 188/4.
Nonetheless, the intent behind the move spoke volumes about Du Plessis’ team-first mindset and long-term vision as a leader in franchise cricket.
Social media erupts with praise for Du Plessis’ unselfish act
Cricket fans flooded social media with admiration for the former South African captain. Words like “class,” “leader,” and “selfless” dominated the timeline, with many hailing it as one of the most honorable moments in T20 cricket history. Du Plessis’ action sparked a broader discussion about the balance between individual accolades and team objectives in modern cricket. His leadership once again reminded fans why he remains one of the most respected figures in the game.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Leading from the front 🫡 Faf du Plessis smashed 91 magnificent runs before retiring out and sending Donovan Ferreira into the match. ☄️
— Cognizant Major League Cricket (@MLCricket)
Selfless Leader Faf Du Plessis 💛 He Retired Himself Out at 91* So That Donovan Ferreira Could Bat in The Last Over 🙌🏼
Captain Faf 💛
— Junaid Khan (@JunaidKhanation)
FAF DU PLESSIS, A TEAM MAN FOR YELLOW ARMY..!!!!
– He becomes the first Player in T20 History to be retired out on 90's 🤯
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)
Never saw anyone more selfless than Faf du plessis 🫡
Man literally retired himself out on 91* to make way for Donovan Ferrera…
Captain Faf 💛
— God's Child 🚸 (@Spreadsomepyarr)
Faf du plessis is the legend of Super Kings, higher than any overseas player, at par with Bravo. 🔥
— Ravi Kumar (@imravikumar_)
Selfless Leader Faf Du Plessis 💛 He Retired Himself Out at 91* So That Donovan Ferreira Could Bat in The Last Over 🙌🏼
Captain Faf 💛
— Om Verma (@OmBhai1713)
Faf du Plessis becomes the first player in T20 history to be retired out in the 90s.
91 (52) vs Seattle Orcas, MLC 2025
He still had one over left to reach his century, but he chose to retire himself out. TSK won the match by 51 runs, and Faf was named Man of the Match.
— Abdul Rehman Yaseen (@Aryaseen5911)
Selfless Faf du plessis Retired on 91 !! 👀🫡
— God's Child 🚸 (@Spreadsomepyarr)
🚨 FAF DU PLESSIS Retires out on 91* for the last over…!!!
Ferreira is in for the last six!
— Broken Cricket Dreams Cricket Blog (@cricket_broken)
Faf retired out at 91*
Should have left last over if we planned to win this game! 😟
— Jacob Martin (@Leg_shift_D)
Faf Du Plessis retired himself out on 91 against Seattle Orcas.
He becomes the first ever player in T20 history to retire out on 90s.
A proper team man ❤️
— 🅒🅡🅘︎🅒︎🄲🅁🄰🅉🅈𝗠𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗨™ 🇮🇳❤️ (@MSDianMrigu)
Captain Faf du Plessis😮💨🫡
Retired out himself when he was at 91*(52) in the last over, so that Donovan Ferreira can hit some biggies and take the target to a better score.
Respect📈— Sukumaran BP (@BpSukumaran)
Texas Super Kings clinch dominant 51-run win
While the final over didn’t go as expected, Texas Super Kings still posted a formidable 188/4 on the board, thanks to Du Plessis’ commanding 91 and Shubham Ranjane’s classy 65. In reply, Seattle Orcas faltered under pressure and were bundled out for just 137.
Adam Milne was the star with the ball, delivering a fiery spell and bagging a sensational five-wicket haul. Unsurprisingly, Du Plessis was named Player of the Match for his match-defining knock and inspirational leadership.
Also WATCH: HIGHLIGHTS: San Francisco Unicorns sneak past Texas Super Kings by 1 run at Lauderhill | MLC 2025
