IPL 2021: AB de Villiers becomes the 6th player to score 5,000 runs in the tournament

AB de Villiers of Royal Challengers Bangalore

Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) AB de Villiers became the 6th player to reach the 5000-run mark in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday. The 37-year-old reached this milestone in the game against the Delhi Capitals (DC).

Before the start of the game, AB de Villiers had scored 4,978 runs in 160 innings. He needed another 22 runs to reach the 5000-run mark.

AB de Villiers walked out into the middle in the 9th over after RCB were asked to bat first. He started on a watchful note but started hitting the big shots once he got his eye in. The Protean reached 5,000 runs in the IPL with a brilliant 79-meter six off an Axar Patel's delivery in the 15th over of the game.

Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, and David Warner are the players who reached this milestone before AB de Villiers.

Players with 5000+ runs in the IPL

*Updated till the end of 1st innings in Match 22 in IPL 2021

AB de Villiers is the third-fastest player to score 5,000 runs in the IPL

AB de Villiers reached the 5,000-run mark in the IPL in only 161 innings, becoming the third-fastest player to reach the milestone. Sunrisers Hyderabad's David Warner is the fastest as he managed this milestone in only 135 innings. Virat Kohli is second on the list and after crossing the 5000-run mark in his 157 innings in the IPL.

Fastest to 5,000 IPL runs

David Warner - 135 innings

Virat Kohli - 157 innings

AB de Villiers - 161 innings

Shikhar Dhawan - 168 innings

Suresh Raina - 173 innings

Rohit Sharma - 187 innings

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AB de Villiers is only the second overseas player to score 5,000 runs in the IPL. He has the second-highest average amongst these six players with 5000+ runs and has the highest strike rate of them all.

The Pretoria-born scored an unbeaten 75 in the game against the Capitals on Tuesday and propelled RCB's score to 171/5. He scored 22 runs in the final over of the innings, which was bowled by Marcus Stoinis.