Cricket: De Villiers pulls out of NZ T20s

AB de Villiers withdrew himself from South Africa’s Twenty20 squad against New Zealand, saying that he needs extra rest before the Test series next month.

Justin Ontong was called in as replacement for the wicket-keeper batsman, according to ESPNCricinfo. “It’s been an exhausting few months and I feel that I need some extra rest before the Test series,” said de Villiers.

“It’s for this reason that I have put in the request and I’m grateful to the team management for supporting this decision.” The first T20 will be played on December 21 in Durban followed by one in East London (December 23) and the last and final in Port Elizabeth (December 26).

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19^th, 2012.