South African star A🦹B de Villiers has kept the Brisbane Heat in the playoffs hunt, with his first BBL hꦯalf-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 r♎uns 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 M💫elbourne 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 Maddℱinson (9ও) and Nathan Coulter-Nile (0) were dismissed in quick succession in a pivotal batting collapse.
Mitchell Swepson (3-31), Mujꩲeeb Ur Rahman (2-11) and James Pattinson (2-17) did the dama෴ge for the Heat with the ball.
De Villiers helped set up t𝕴he 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 wa🎃s 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/Yashd💮eVilliers/status/1221🌞031028921233408
AB de Villiers.. Remember the Name.
— anaam. (@Aayan4910)
//twitter.com/Comman▨der_offl/status/1221008941737336833
Can't ever write off a champion.
Superb performancℱe by AB de Villiers to give Heat a crucial win.
— 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)
