Johannesburg: South Africa batting star AB de Villiers announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect yesterday. AB de Villiers announced the decision via a video message on his Twitter handle. “I’ve made a big decision today,” De Villiers’ tweet message said on Wednesday.

“Hi, this is the Tux Cricket Club, the high-performance centre in Pretoria where 14 seasons ago I arrived as a nervous youngster when I was first called into the Proteas squad. Today, at the same place, I want to let you know that I have decided to retire from all international cricket with immediate effect,” De Villiers said in the attached video message.

AB de Villiers, who made his international debut in 2004 against England at Port Elizabeth, represented South Africa in 114 Tests, 228 ODIs and 78 T20Is. The right-hander has 8765 Tests, 9577 ODIs and 1672 T20Is runs to his name. In his 114-Test career, the South Africa veteran batsman has scored 22 centuries and 46 half-centuries at an average of 50.66.

The 34-year-old is the second South African with most runs in ODIs. De Villiers’ former team-mate Jacques Kallis is on top of his country’s list with 11579 runs at an average of 44.36, including 17 centuries and 86 fifties.