West Indies holds a special place in AB de Villiers‘ heart as it has been one of his favorite teams to play against. In January 2015, he etched his name in cricket history by smashing the fastest century (31 balls) ever recorded in the game against the West Indies. Over the course of 24 matches against them, De Villiers accumulated 1279 runs at an impressive average of 67.32, including five centuries and four fifties.

During the match in Sydney in 2015 World Cup in February, where South Afr?ica scored 408 runs, De Villiers registered the fastest 150 in cricket h?istory (64 balls) also against the West Indies. Serving as the captain at the time, he displayed his extraordinary batting skills by striking 17 fours and eight sixes during his explosive innings.

Interestingly, the former world No1 ODI batter, recently revealed that he was sick before the game. In an interview on JioCinema’s ‘Home of Heroes,’ the former South African skipper shared that he was unwell the morning of the match and didn’t even warm up before going out to bat. He mentioned that he had been unable to sleep the previous night due to medications, and he was actually sleeping before his innings. De Villiers said that he told the coach he was going to take a nap and not warm up for the game.

“I’ll give you one more example of that. Sydney Cricket Ground 2015. We played a World Cup game against the West Indies. And I was very nervous, very fired up. It’s a must win for us. But 3:00 that morning I got really sick in my room, and I got injections and all sorts of stuff. I didn’t sleep. I arrived at the Sydney Cricket Ground and I told the coach, listen, I don’t think I can warm up, I’m just going to take a nap,” the former South African said.

In addition to revealing his illness and lack of preparation, De Villiers also shared his experience of how he felt? before stepping out to bat against the West Indies. The 39-year-old described the moments before his innings as if everything was happening in slow motion. He mentioned being in a half-asleep state and having a unique perception of the game.

The Pretoria-born explained that o??n that particular day, he had a sensation of seeing the ball bigger than usual, which made batting seemingly easier f?or him.

“I remember standing there facing my first ball and I was like, I don’t care if I get out there, I’m just going to see the ball and just like move slowly. Be in my mode, you know? And it was incredible how in such slow motion everything happened that day. Seeing the ball bigger, I was half asleep. Looking at the sun just standing there going like, oh, this game is actually so enjoyable, so easy, so slow and it’s so difficult to get into that zone. In that zone, it’s so enjoyable,” De Villiers concluded.

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Australia’s most successful T20I batter, Aaron Finch, announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket on Tuesday (February 7). Finch has represented his nation in 254 international matches across all formats and he also led the Men in Yellow t?o their maiden T20 World Cup triumph in 2021.

In the shortest format, Finch has the record of the longest-serving skipper to his name, as he captained the Australian side in 76 T20Is-the most by any player. The 36-year-old featured for the Aussies in 146 ODIs as well and won the 2015 Men’s ODI World Cup as a member of the team. However, before calling off his career from all forms of international cricket, Finch had already retired from the 50-overs format in 2022. He also appeared in five Tests for the Aussies.

After Finch’s retirement announcement, social media was flooded with praises for the white ball legend, as so many popular personalities and fans posted happy retirement messages for the World Cup-winning captain.

Famous Australian sports journalist Chloe-Amanda Bailey wrote on Twitter: “It sucks when your faves you’ve watched play for most of your life start retiring from international cricket! Thanks for everything @AaronFinch5. Legend. All the best for what’s next!”

Sunrisers Hyderabad also took to Twitter t?o wish Finch a happy retirement. Notably, Finch had previously represented the Hyderabad-based franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

On that note, let’s look at some of the reactions following Finch’s retirement.

It sucks when your faves you’ve watched play for most of your life start retiring from international cricket! Thanks for everything @AaronFinch5. Legend. All the best for what’s next!

— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) February 6, 2023

World Cup winner, Australia's most successful T20I batter, and the longest serving men's T20I captain. 👏🏼

On behalf of the #OrangeArmy, congratulations on a remarkable career and happy retirement, Finchy 🧡#AaronFinch pic.twitter.com/WE8aPhmM2e

— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) February 7, 2023

A congratulations to Aaron Finch on a glowing international career 👏 pic.twitter.com/DM07hy1fPn

— England's Barmy Army 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) February 7, 2023

T20 World Cup winning captain, highest ind??ividual score in T20I, 19 hundreds with more than 8000 runs including 507 runs in the 2019 ODI World Cup for Australia.

Thank you, Aaron Finch. pic.twitter.com/xhT72f0XQC

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 7, 2023

Happy retirement, @AaronFinch5 pic.twitter.com/LDtVUAxWh7

— betvisa68.com (@CricketTimesHQ) February 7, 2023

Aaron Finch has conf?irmed his retirement from int?ernational cricket.

No cricketer in history has scored more T20I runs at ??a higher strike? rate than the Victorian.

";The time is right to the let the T20 team m?ove on to a new phase."

— Nic Savage (@nic_savage1) February 6, 2023

Congrats on a fine limited ov???ers career for AUS, Aaron Finch.

Still remember that ?156 he scored v ?ENG in Southampton.

Yes, I had ??watched him compile some runs for PW (especial??ly 2013) in the IPL but that knock made me sit up and take notice of his limited overs prowess.

— Bharath Ramaraj (@Fancricket12) February 7, 2023

�?406 runs, 38.9 ave in ODIs.
�?120 runs, 34.3 ave, 142.5 SR in T20I.
�?804 runs, 19 100s in Int'l cricket.
•Highest individual score in T20I.
•Won T20 WC as captain.

Aaron Finch is one of the finest white ball player in this modern era. Thank you, Finchy for all memories! pic.twitter.com/r5P6VBZuSn

— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) February 7, 2023

💥Highest Score in T20I format

172 – 🇦🇺Aaron Finch
162* – 🇦🇫Hazratullah Zazai
156 – 🇦🇺Aaron Finch
145* – 🇦🇺Glenn Maxwell

💥Happy Retirement Aaron Finch

— Abdul Samad (@SamadSindhi786) February 7, 2023

Only two batters have ever gone past 150 in T20Is and Aaron Finch did it twice, including the all time highest knock of 172 in 76 balls against Zimbabwe. He was also the first visiting captain when Sri Lanka defaulted on debt.
Happy retirement skipper👏 pic.twitter.com/ILyt29VuXa

— Akhila Seneviratne (@AkhilaSene97) February 7, 2023

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The group stage encounter between India and Pakistan at Adela?ide Oval, during the 2015 ODI World Cup was a marquee clash of the tourn??ament, with millions around the world watching.

India batted first, and it was Virat Kohli who stole the show on the big occasion. First, he stitched a massive partnership of 129 runs with opener Shikhar Dhawan, who scored a flamboyant 73.

The Men in Blue looked to step?? on the gas during the last 20 overs when captain MS Dhoni asked Suresh Raina to pad-up and take the assault one notch higher.

Raina, in return, paid rich dividends to the faith entruste?d on him with his blistering knock of 74 off just 56 deliveries, smashing five boundaries and three sixes, at a strike-r?ate of 132.

Virat, ?at the other end, was unstoppable as he scored a fluent 107 off 126 deliveries, which consisted of eight g?littering boundaries.

If the partnership between Dhawan and Virat laid a solid foundation for the Indians, Virat and Rain??a almost batted the Pakistani team of the game with their entertaining partnership of 110.

“I never questioned his decisions. I remember I was having a sandwich or something during our match against Pakistan in World Cup 2015. Suddenly after 20 overs, he said ‘pad-up’. I padded up. Virat was batting really well, and this happened just a few overs before Shikhar (Dhawan) got run out. So I got out in the middle, played a few shots and scored 70-80 runs,” said Raina in a YouTube interview.

Dhoni asked Rai??na to bat ahead of Ajinkya Rahane, who was the designated number four in the Indian ?batting order.

However, when questioned by Raina regarding his surprising promotion, he reve??aled that Dhoni believed of him to?? fare better against leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who went for plenty being wicketless in the game.

“After the match, I asked him why did you send me up the order? He said, ‘I thought you would play better against the leg-spinner who was bowling at that time’. He also praised me for my batting. So I also want to know what goes on in his mind,” added the out-of-favour batsman.

“He was always a step ahead. He used to stand behind the stumps for the entire match, assess the pitch, whether it has turn and swing. He was seldom wrong. I can say he was god gifted,” concluded Raina.
India could not post a mammo??th total and only huff and puffed to 300. Moreover, it proved to be sufficient as Pakistan lost the game by a margin of 76 runs.

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In a recent interaction with former cricketer Irfan Pathan, India’s premier seamer Mohammed Shami talked about his ordeals while featuring in the 2015 ODI World Cup in Australia.

Shami revealed about playing the entire tourname?nt with a broken knee and consuming three painkillers and injections to deal with the pain.

Despite his struggles, Shami ended up taking the second most number (17 wickets) of wickets for the Men in Blue during the tournament. Shami shared the new ball with Umesh Yadav who picked up 18 s??????????????????????????calps in the competition.

“Sometimes there is an important match, and you know you have to play it. In the 2015 World Cup, I carried a knee injury. I was not even able to walk. I used to take painkillers and injections. The physio Nitin Patel helped me. He gave me the confidence to complete the tournament. My knee needed an operation, they told me if I can endure the pain then I can play the World Cup,” Shami told Pathan on Instagram.

“The knee broke in the first match of the tournament, my thighs and knees had come to the same size, doctors had to take out fluids every day, I used to take three painkillers,” added the speedster.
Champions of the tournament, Australia, brought curtains to India’s campaign in the semifinals of the World Cup.

However, Shami was sceptical about featuring in the all-important clash as he told MS Dhoni that he could not bear further pain.

“Before the semifinal match against Australia, I told the team that I cannot take any more pain. Mahi bhai and the management showed faith in me, and they really kept confidence in my abilities. I played the match and gave just 13 runs in my opening spell. Then I went off the park and told Mahi bhai that I could not bowl any longer. But he told me he cannot go to part-time bowlers and asked me not to give away more than 60 runs. I have never been in such a condition like this, some had said my career is over, but I am still here,” concluded Mohammed Shami.

Now,?? Shami is one of the spearheads in the Indi?an bowling attack in Tests along with Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, and Umesh Yadav. The Bengal cricketer has received adulations of-late for his supreme fitness and ability to bowl fiery spells in red-ball cricket.

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The quarter-finals of 2015 ODI World Cup saw hosts? Australia at loggerheads with the unpredict??able Pakistan side.

Batting first, Pakis??tan were in all sorts of trouble, finding it difficult to cope up with the pace of Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell ??Starc on a juicy Adelaide pitch.

?So much so that pinch-hitter Wahab Riaz had to walk in to bite the bullet against ??firm-favourites and the eventual winners of the tournament.

During his volatile stay at the crease, Riaz was finding it challenging to meet the ball with his w??illow. To which, the Australian close-in fielders with ??their sledges swarmed in to build a pressure-cookers situation for the Pakistani pacer.

One of the comments made from Shane Watson at slips fired up Riaz. ‘Are you holding a bat?’ asked Watson obeying the renowned Aussie culture of sledging.

However, the left-arm fast bowler got his revenge by bowling one of the great spells in World Cup cricket. Watson received a dose of hi??s own medicine when?? Riaz sledged him back during his long follow-throughs.

Riaz gave the Aussie all-rounder a mouthful as he found it a hard task to survive an unplayable spell. Had Rah??at Ali not dropped the catch, Watson would have been back to the pavilion.

“When he came into bat, I settled the score with him. When I was batting Watson just came up to me and said ‘are you holding a bat?’ and that was going through my mind,” Riaz was quoted as saying by Indian Today.

“I let him know that even he had a bat, but he couldn’t touch the ball,” added Riaz. Watto then steered Australia to a comfortable win as the hosts progressed to the semi-finals.

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In the absence of Michael Clarke due to injuries, George Bailey t?ook over the reins as capt??ain of the Australian cricket team for several seasons.

One cannot forget his contributions with th?e bat, wherein in the high-scoring 2013 ODI series in India, Bailey notched up mi??lestones for fun.

The Tasmanian’s role in the 2015 ?World Cup in Australia was limited as he featured only in the opening game of the tournament. Bailey scored 55 against England at MCG.

However, one impactful suggestion he made during the tournament changed the fortunes ??of Steve Smith and the Australian team.

Bailey suggested that Smith should be moved up the order, replacing the slot with Mitchell Marsh lower down the order. Bailey justified his advice citing out Smith’s ability ??to bat 50 overs and Marsh’s lustrous hitting abilities.

“M??y claim to fame, and no doubt he would have ended up there anyway. We’d been using Steve Smith at six or seven in the one-day team and Zimbabwe (the previous August-September). We threw Mitch Marsh up to three in a game,�?stated Bailey during The Unplayable Podcast.

“I suggested?? that it should be Steve Smith (at three) because at that time Mitch could, and still can, bludgeon the ball, but I couldn’t see him batting for the full innings, where I could see ‘Smudger??�?(Smith) batting for 50 overs, making those key hundreds that you could bat around,�?continued Bailey.

Australia’s top scorer in the World Cup of 2015, Smith amassed 402 runs at an ave??rage o??f 67, with one century and four half-centuries to his name.

“That recommendation was taken up and that played a huge part �?Smudger was three right throughout the World Cup and hasn’t moved since,�?concluded the?? 37-ye?ar old.

Smudge holds an average of almost 63 in Test cricket, only second to Don Bradman’s average of 99.94. Despite his one-year layoff from the game, Smith dethroned Virat Kohli in the Test rankings for the top-spot.

Smith has s??cored 26 Test tons and 9 ODI tons since his move at number three, st?arting as a leg-spinner.

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Tillakaratne Dilshan is only the second Sri Lankan batsman after Sanath Jayasuriya and fourth overall to hit 6 boundaries in a single over in One Day cricket. ??His moment came against the Australian speedster Mitch??ell Johnson during a match at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in the ICC World Cup 2015.

Johnson came in ?to bowl the sixth over of the second innings, with Dilshan on strike.

The first ball of the over was driven back past the bowler for the first boundary of the over. The next ball was very similar, with another boundary down the ground. Johnson followed up by bowling one a bit short, which Dilshan swung away through midwicket. Johnson banged one in short, and Dilshan responded by pulling him over square leg. The fifth ball was hammered away through covers before ??the last ball was played gracefully through the same area as Dilshan scored 24 off the over.

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Every Indian cricket fan is presently wondering how long MS Dhoni is going to play for India. While several greats of the game have had their opinions on the subject, South African star batsman AB de Villiers revealed what did Dhoni t??ell him when he asked him the same question.

In an interview with The Ring Side View, the former Proteas skipper spoke about his admiration for Dhoni, calling him “one of a kind”.

De Vil?liers opened about a conversation he had with Dhoni during the 2015 World Cup after India defeated South Africa by 130 runs in a group stage encounter between the two sides.

Mr. 360 said, “I have mentioned it to people before that I should do it how he (Dhoni) does it. (He is) non-stop, doing it day-in and day out. ”

“We were playing in World Cup 2015 and India beat us in Melbourne. We stood at post-match presentation and I asked him how long can he go for? How long can he do this for?

“He said I love every second of it (smiles). I said okay. He is one of a kind and I will always have respect for him for what he has achieved in his career,” De Villiers concluded.

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A rare incident happened during an ODI match played between Pakistan and South Africa in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 when the Proteas batsman Faf du Plessis ran all over the stumps a??t the non-strikers end.

This happened on the bowling of Pakistan’s speester Mohammad Irfan when Du Plessis played a cover drive for a boundary but Misbah ul Haq saved that shot a?nd the batsman ran for a quick single.

Misbah grabbed the ball and threw it quickly at the non-strikers end. Meanwhile, Du Plessis ran like a bull??et train to escape fr??om the direct hit and in process demolished the stumps.

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