Portrait of AB de Villiers

Birthday profile

AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers, South African cricketer

Born
February 17, 1984
Age in 2026
42
Zodiac sign
Aquarius
Birth year
1984

About AB de Villiers

Abraham Benjamin de Villiers (born (1984-02-17)17 February 1984) is a South African former professional cricketer, widely recognised as one of the greatest batters of all time. While primarily a batter, he also played as a wicket-keeper. He represented South Africa from 2004 to 2018, scoring 8,765 runs in Test matches and 9,577 runs in One Day Internationals (ODIs). He maintained a batting average of over 50 in both formats. As of June 2026, de Villiers is South Africa's second-highest run-scorer in ODIs and fourth-highest in Tests. He also captained the national team in Tests, ODIs, and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) during the 2010s. In domestic cricket, de Villiers started his career in 2003, playing for Northerns and the Titans until 2018. He later joined several Twenty20 leagues around the world. Most notably, he played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) from 2011 until he retired from all professional cricket in 2021. Over the course of his career, de Villiers won several major honours. He was named the ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2010, 2014, and 2015, and was selected as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Decade in 2019. In 2024, he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. Regarded as one of the most innovative and destructive batsmen in the modern era, de Villiers is known for a range of unorthodox shots, particularly behind the wicket-keeper. He made his international debut in a Test match against England in 2004 and first played a One Day International (ODI) in early 2005. He holds the record for most Test innings without registering a duck (78), before being dismissed for naught against Bangladesh in November 2008. In October 2024, de Villiers became the 8th South African cricketer to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. He is regarded as one of the greatest batters of his generation. de Villiers was named as the ICC ODI Player of the Year three times during his 15-year international career.

Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.

AB de Villiers timeline

  1. He made his international debut in a Test match against England in 2004 and first played a One Day International (ODI) in early 2005.
  2. He holds the record for most Test innings without registering a duck (78), before being dismissed for naught against Bangladesh in November 2008.
  3. In October 2024, de Villiers became the 8th South African cricketer to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.

The world when AB de Villiers was born

AB de Villiers was born in 1984. The year snapshot below places that birthday in its cultural and historical setting: the music and films people were following, the headlines shaping public life, and the everyday prices families encountered.

Culture in 1984

  • #1 song"When Doves Cry" – Prince
  • Top movieAmadeus
  • Top TV showDynasty
  • Best-selling bookThe Unbearable Lightness of Being – Milan Kundera

Headlines and milestones

  • Major sports momentMary Lou Retton wins Olympic all-around gymnastics gold
  • Top headlineBhopal gas disaster in India kills thousands
  • Technology milestoneApple Macintosh launches with revolutionary GUI
  • Defining fadBreakdancing
  • Notable inventionApple Macintosh
  • World population4.77 billion

United States snapshot

  • U.S. leaderRonald Reagan
  • Sports championDetroit Tigers (World Series)
  • Also wonBoston Celtics (NBA)
  • U.S. population235.8M

1984 versus 2026

These figures put everyday life in AB de Villiers's birth year beside the site's latest United States snapshot.

Measure19842026
Gas$1.13$3.45/gal
Average home$72,400$435,000
Average income$26,433$67,500
Minimum wage$3.35$7.25/hr (federal)
Movie ticket$3.36$11.95
Postage stamp$0.20$0.73
Population235.8M341 million

Sources and editorial standards

This profile combines a biographical source with structured birthday and historical context. Sources recorded for this profile: Wikipedia, ESPNcricinfo. See our editorial policy for sourcing, corrections, and review standards.

Read the source biography on Wikipedia. Wikipedia text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.