Selectors turned down offer from De Villiers in order to 'stay true to morals and principles'
AB de Villiers walks off after being dismissed during the second Twenty20 game between SA and England, in Taunton on June 23 2017. Picture: ACTION IMAGES VIA REUTERS
De Villiers made a shock retirement from international cricket in May 2018 — a decision that has come back to haunt SA‚ who have for the first time lost three consecutive games at a World Cup. “For Faf du Plessis and Ottis Gibson to share AB’s desire to be included in the squad on the day we announced our World Cup squad on April 18 was a shock to all of us‚” a Cricket SA release quoted selection convenor Linda Zondi as saying.“AB left a big vacuum when he retired. We had a year to find players at franchise level to fill the gap. We had players who put in the hard work‚ who put up their hands and deserved to be given the opportunity to go to the World Cup.
“At no point in the year that he had retired did he make himself available for selection. It was no option when I received the news on the day of the squad announcement — our squad was finalised and confirmed.
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