In the fifth ODI at Cape Town against England, AB De Villiers just reiterated the fact that why he is rated as one of the best ODI batsmen at the moment. De Villiers scored an impeccable ton to seal a tricky chase of 237 after the Proteas were reduced to 22-3. In what can be termed as the most daunting ton of his career, De Villiers steadily guided his team through against a rampaging English bowling attack.
Post the game, De Villiers said that pressure and crunch situations like the one in the fifth ODI often excite him and motivate him to do well. “You live for those pressure moments,” De Villiers said. “Through an international career, you have ups and down but you always feel you are going to be tested in moments like that. It has taken me years to feel comfortable and to feel like I have good composure in those situations.”
“The chat between us was not to worry about the runs and to make sure we get in and not lose another wicket,” he explained. “We’ve done it before. I felt it was really important to take it 10 runs at a time and get to a fifty-run partnership,” elaborated De Villiers about the game situation. “I like to push myself a little bit down when we are chasing. I feel I handle the pressure situations well and that’s why I want to be there at the end,” De Villiers said.
“I asked them to keep spirits up. I asked them to keep believing and have the faith we can come back,” he said. “We showed inspirational videos here and there but we tried to focus on the basics and do the small things right and well, and created more pressure than England and then things went our way.”