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 the 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 Marvel 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 Coulter-Nile (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) did 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 them coming from the final over of the innings bowled by Stars debutant Dilbar Hussain.
The Proteas veteran also took the gloves 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 @ABdeVilliers17… 😍
MASSIVE!#BringTheHeat #BBL09 pic.twitter.com/fEr561oXDc
— Brisbane Heat (@HeatBBL) January 25, 2020
AB de Villiers assists a Mujeeb run-out.
Pete Handscomb is the victim of the mix-up 😬 #BBL09 pic.twitter.com/vyMrYMfwvT
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 25, 2020
That's quite ferocious from AB de Villiers 😳😂 #BBL09 pic.twitter.com/qiySM7mQU6
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 25, 2020
That satisfying smile from AB 💙😍#StarsvHeat #BBL09 #ABdeVilliers #BringTheHeat https://t.co/SmDSMCnUTv
— RajuTarak🇮🇳 (@TarakActivist) January 25, 2020
https://twitter.com/YashdeVilliers/status/1221031028921233408
AB de Villiers.. Remember the Name. #BBL09 pic.twitter.com/29lO9h02fB
— anaam. (@Aayan4910) January 25, 2020
https://twitter.com/Commander_offl/status/1221008941737336833
Can't ever write off a champion.
Superb performance by AB de Villiers to give Heat a crucial win.#BBL #BBL09 pic.twitter.com/fObKBoEqGx
— CricBlog ✍ (@cric_blog) January 25, 2020
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) January 25, 2020
With gloves 🤩
This is soo goooood!😭❤️@ABdeVilliers17 #BBL09 pic.twitter.com/0Gf1Mf96qZ— AB’s (@Aditiab17) January 25, 2020
