{"id":97715,"date":"2025-01-28T14:18:10","date_gmt":"2025-01-28T14:18:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/?p=97715"},"modified":"2025-01-28T14:18:10","modified_gmt":"2025-01-28T14:18:10","slug":"ab-de-villiers-returns-to-cricket-after-four-years-to-lead-game-changers-south-africa-champions-in-world-championship-of-legends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/97715\/","title":{"rendered":"AB de Villiers Returns to Cricket After Four Years to Lead Game Changers South Africa Champions in World Championship of Legends"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Pakistan(National Times)- Dubai: Cricketing fans worldwide are set to celebrate as South African icon AB de Villiers announces his long-awaited return to the sport after nearly four years. De Villiers, revered as one of the most innovative and electrifying cricketers of all time, will lead the Game Changers South Africa Champions in the second edition of the World Championship of Legends (WCL). This premier T20 tournament, featuring retired and non-contracted cricket legends, promises a nostalgic yet exhilarating spectacle for fans across the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reflecting on his return, de Villiers said:<br>*&#8221;Four years ago, I retired from all cricket because I just didn\u2019t feel the urge to play any more. Well, time has passed, and my young sons have started playing the game. We\u2019ve been playing more and more often in the garden, and, well, it feels as though some kind of flame has been lit again. \u201cSo I am heading back to the gym and the nets, and I\u2019ll be ready for WCL in July.\u201d Known for his unmatched versatility and fearless batting, de Villiers\u2019 comeback has ignited excitement within the cricketing fraternity. The Game Changers squad, which featured legends such as Jacques Kallis, Herschelle Gibbs, Dale Steyn, and Imran Tahir in the inaugural season, now has an even brighter future under de Villiers\u2019 captaincy. Amandeep Singh , Co Owner of South Africa Champions &amp; Founder of Game Changers shared his excitement: &#8220;We are honoured to compete in the World Championship of Legends and showcase the incredible talent of our cricketing greats. AB de Villiers\u2019 return as our captain is a monumental boost for our team, and his leadership will undoubtedly inspire us to new heights.\u201d Harry Singh , Co Owner of South Africa Champions added: &#8220;AB de Villiers is not just a player; he\u2019s an icon who has inspired millions around the world. His decision to lead our team is a testament to his love for the game, and we couldn\u2019t be more thrilled to have him on board. This marks a historic moment for the team and the league.\u201d Harshit Tomar, Founder and CEO of the World Championship of Legends, expressed his enthusiasm: &#8220;This is precisely why we launched the WCL \u2013 to bring back the legends we deeply miss. As a fan of AB de Villiers, I\u2019m thrilled to see him return to the field. I\u2019m sure cricket lovers in England and beyond will be delighted by his comeback.\u201d Nishant Pitti, Chief Patron of the WCL and Co-founder &amp; Chairman of EaseMyTrip, added: &#8220;Our partnership with the World Championship of Legends is a celebration of cricket\u2019s golden era. The return of AB de Villiers embodies the spirit of the league, and we are privileged to witness this iconic moment.\u201d  With AB de Villiers at the helm, the Game Changers South Africa Champions are poised for an unforgettable campaign in the WCL. Cricket fans can look forward to reliving the magic of yesteryear as the league bridges generations and celebrates the enduring passion for the game.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pakistan(National Times)- Dubai: Cricketing fans worldwide are set to celebrate as South African icon AB de Villiers announces his long-awaited return to the sport after nearly four years. De Villiers, revered as one of the most innovative and electrifying cricketers of all time, will lead the Game Changers South Africa Champions in the second edition [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":97716,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-97715","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","entry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>AB de Villiers Returns to Cricket After Four Years to Lead Game Changers South Africa Champions in World Championship of Legends - Nation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/97715\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"AB de Villiers Returns to Cricket After Four Years to Lead Game Changers South Africa Champions in World Championship of Legends - Nation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Pakistan(National Times)- Dubai: Cricketing fans worldwide are set to celebrate as South African icon AB de Villiers announces his long-awaited return to the sport after nearly four years. De Villiers, revered as one of the most innovative and electrifying cricketers of all time, will lead the Game Changers South Africa Champions in the second edition [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/97715\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Nation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-01-28T14:18:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/image-670x370-2025-01-28T185124.902.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"670\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"370\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"humza Jahangir\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"humza Jahangir\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/97715\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2025\/97715\/\",\"name\":\"AB de Villiers Returns to Cricket After Four Years to Lead Game Changers South Africa Champions in World Championship of Legends - 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