5 great bowlers AB de Villiers has been brilliant against

3. Saeed Ajmal

Saeed Ajmal was undisputedly the best spin bowler in the world before he was banned from bowling due to a suspect bowling action last year. Such was his dominance when he was at his peak, that he continued to top the ICC ODI rankings for bowlers months after his ban was imposed.

During South Africa’s tour to the UAE to play Pakistan, Ajmal came up against his biggest challenge – to bowl to AB de Villiers. The two went head-to-head throughout the series and it was the final ODI wherein de Villiers stamped his class and tackled the brilliant Pakistani spinner.

En route to a match-winning 115*, de Villiers slammed 30 runs from just 16 balls against Ajmal, which included 3 fours and 2 sixes. Incredibly, the Faisalabad-born cricketer just conceded 15 runs from the 44 deliveries he bowled at other South African batsmen in the innings.

2. Lasith Malinga

The most recent of the incidents mentioned here, AB de Villiers came into bat against the Mumbai Indians in an IPL match in 2015, with his side the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) requiring over 15 runs per over. Then, came a storm that had rarely been seen before in cricket.

The South African ODI captain did not take any time to get settled in and hit 14 runs (two fours and a six) from the first three deliveries he faced off Mitchell McClenaghan. MI’s captain Rohit Sharma was a worried man and brought back his ace bowler Lasith Malinga.

Malinga, who is widely considered as the greatest T20 bowler ever, proved his worth by dismissing Dinesh Karthik off the first delivery. While the catch was completed, the batsmen had crossed and what followed was a contest for the ages.

De Villiers tonked for Malinga for two consecutive sixes to start off with and then consolidated by picking up a two. The next delivery saw AB play an incredible reserve paddle sweep that brought a smile even on the Sri Lankan bowler’s face. He then finished the over with another four, slamming a glorious boundary through the cover region.

At the end of the over, de Villiers had taken Malinga for 22 runs in just 5 balls.

1. Dale Steyn

They might play for the same country, but the IPL has seen these two great friends face off on more than one occasion. And de Villiers has got the better of his international teammate not once, but twice.

Both came under very similar situations at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The first instance came in 2012, with RCB requiring 39 runs to win from just 3 overs. De Villiers was new to the crease but had no choice than to go after the bowling.

Steyn steamed into bowl and saw the first delivery of his over dispatched for a six. Two fours and a six followed, as de Villiers scored 23 runs in the over. That assault meant that the Bangalore-based franchise could win the match with an over to spare.

Two years later, de Villiers was at it again as he smashed Steyn for 22 runs from just 5 deliveries. This was when his side was staring at a defeat and needed 28 runs from just 2 overs. The highlight was de Villiers scooping Steyn for a six over fine-leg, off the final delivery of the over.