AB de Villiers Quotes

"I am fully aware that cricket is like a second religion in Pakistan."

"There are so many dreams that I'd like to follow."

"For my part, I am not a great believer in bad luck on the cricket field, in business - in fact, in any walk of life."

"It's never easy to lose. But life is not all sunshine and roses."

"I don't like to celebrate my own achievements."

"My personal goals have always and will always take a backseat to the team."

"When I'm fielding at point, I'm running all over that field, and I'm really tired by the end of the innings."

"I watch the ball, and I just play. I have always said that I don't feel there's a big difference between the three formats. It is just a mindset, applying yourself to the wicket and conditions, and that's always been the way that I have played."

"Yes, I would have loved to win it, but I have great memories from World Cups. The 2007 tournament - my first - was very special."

"Playing at the highest level alongside your friends, scoring runs for your country are things that I look back and go, 'Ah, I miss that a little bit,' but there's a lot I don't miss. I don't miss 90 per cent of it."

"It was a bit of a surprise when the national captaincy came my way."

"I don't really like attention too much."

"I'm not the kind of guy who cares how many hundreds I've scored."

"I'm not a nice guy on the field, and I've never really respected a guy who's been a 'nice guy' on the field. I want opposition to be hard, to play to win the game for their team."

"I try and keep my feet on the ground and keep working at my game."

"You live for those pressure moments. Through an international career, you have ups and downs, but you always feel you are going to be tested in moments like that. It has taken me years to feel comfortable and to feel like I have good composure in those situations."

"It's important on any English wicket to leave well."

"From a personal standpoint, my ability to play all around the wicket is more mindset than anything else."

"I announced my retirement from international cricket in May 2018 because I wanted to reduce my workload and spend more time with my wife and young sons. Some have insisted I was motivated purely by money. They are wrong."

"I know Test cricket is more about endurance. T20 is more about innovating, creating, and the energy at the wicket."

"You've got to be able to work hard. There must be inner drive that you want to be the best in the world at what you do."

"To cross the line for the team, to have an impact on winning the game - that's why I play this game."

"Obviously I want to be there at the end every time, winning games for the team."

"I don't overthink things."

"I've always kept it very simple. I'm a big believer that basics stay the same for all the formats."

"We all grow up dreaming of playing international cricket."

"Winning an official World Cup with the South African team had become my burning ambition."

"The most important people to please are your family."

"I like to entertain the crowd. Personally I like to entertain my team-mates first, but when the crowd gets going, it is amazing."

"There are lots of mentally very tough players that I have played against and with."