‘We have a lot of similarities’ – AB de Villiers opens up on his bond with Mashrafe Mortaza

AB de Villiers' phenomenal fielding and mind-blowing exploits with the bat mean there is seldom a dull moment on the pitch when he is around. Regarded as one of the modern-day greats of the game, AB de Villiers hardly shies away from applauding his teammates who have helped him through his cricketing journey in one way or another.

Recently, the South African superstar mentioned that he and former Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza have many indistinguishable qualities which helped him during his maiden Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) appearance. AB de Villiers donned the Rangpur Riders jersey and stamped his authority during his debut BPL campaign in 2018.

The man from Warmbad, popularly known as 'Mr. 360°', believes that he has a wonderful bond with his former Rangpur teammate, Mashrafe Mortaza, whom he and the cricketing masses regard as the best Bangladesh captain to date.

“We have a lot of similarities, and I think that’s why we got along so well. He also got the same credentials in a way he loves to fight never say die kind of character, and he loves the pressure moments, and, he loves the person to stand up at the pressure moments so, there is a lot of similarity between us,’’ said AB on an exclusive show with Cricfrenzy.

Mashrafe Mortaza always has the team in his mind: AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers in BPL

AB de Villiers further added that Mortaza's company was entertaining as he is a fun-loving person and also remains cool as a cucumber under immense pressure.

“There are a lot of things that we see each other, and we really enjoyed as players, and that is why I really enjoyed playing under him, I had a lot of fun as the captain, and he is calm under pressure. He always got the team in mind instead of individuals,” he concluded.

AB de Villiers is currently in UAE gearing up for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) along with his RCB teammates, as his team set their eyes on a maiden IPL title. Additionally, an excellent IPL for de Villiers could pave the way for his return to the Proteas' international setup.