ISLAMABAD - Former South African skipper AB de Villiers, one of the leading batsmen of his generation who became renowned for his ability to score quickly while deploying an array of both orthodox and innovative shots, thanked everyone on Thursday for their good wishes and understanding and said that the last few days have been tough and emotional.
"Thank you to everyone - especially the players past and present, my teammates and opponents - for their good wishes and understanding.
The last few days have been tough and emotional, but I’m taken aback by all the love and support," he tweeted, a day after he announced his international retirement. De Villiers also used the hashtag - #proteafire for life.
In a video posted on the social media, 34-year-old had said that he was "out of gas" after 14 years in the top league and that his jaded body was no longer in a position to take the rigours of international cricket after a staggering 420 matches across three formats with over 20,000 runs and 47 hundred.