Shahid Afridi welcomes dashing AB de Villiers to PSL

The fans are ecstatic to see former South African cricketer AB de Villiers confirming his participation in the 2019 edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) but now, a former Pakistan captain is also pleased. Shahid Afridi, who plays for Karachi Kings, has welcomed AB de Villiers to the PSL and said the stint will not disappoint him.

De Villiers, a dashing batsman in all forms of the game, retired from international cricket in May, leaving the cricketing world stunned. He last played competitive cricket in the Indian Premier League this season and cited fatigue as the reason for his bidding adieu to the game at the age of 34.

But his fans were ecstatic to see the man intending to return to cricket. First, it was confirmed by de Villiers’ IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) that he will be playing in the next edition. And on Friday, the former Proteas skipper himself confirmed in a Twitter video that he will be participating the 2019 edition of the PSL – a tournament which is slowly but surely making a mark in the world of T20 cricket.

In a tweet, the 38-year-old Afridi wrote: “Welcome to @thePSLt20 my friend @ABdeVilliers17. Look forward to seeing you. The cricket fans in Pakistan love your batting, you’ll really enjoy the league. Thank you for opting for PSL!”

Here’s Afridi’s tweet

Welcome to @thePSLt20 my friend @ABdeVilliers17. Look forward to seeing you. The cricket fans in Pakistan love your batting, you'll really enjoy the league. Thank you for opting for PSL! https://t.co/RGZkmlzgBf

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) September 7, 2018

Afridi’s impressive stint in PSL

Afridi, who played 27 Tests, 398 ODIs and 99 T20Is for Pakistan during an illustrious career, earlier played for Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL. He was at his vintage best in the 2018 edition, producing magnificent all-round shows. In one game against his previous franchise Zalmis, the veteran tonked four consecutive sixes to set the time machine rolling back.

Afridi played for the Zalmis as the captain in the first season (2016) and as a player under the captaincy of West Indian Darren Sammy. His team lifted the trophy in the 2017 edition but Afridi did not play the final because of a hand injury. He joined the Kings in the 2018 edition.

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