Years before he became Mr. 360 at Chinnaswamy, de Villiers carved out a classic in Delhi blues—against the mighty CSK, in a thriller that had it all
Before the nickname "Mr. 360" took off, AB de Villiers laid the groundwork for his IPL legacy in Durban in April 2009, during the IPL's second season in South Africa. He struck a different chord in a tournament still finding its rhythm, not with fireworks, but with a masterclass in measured destruction.
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De Villiers not only announced himself but orchestrated Delhi Daredevils' first roar of the season. The match became a high-scoring thriller with edge-of-the-seat drama and a nail-biting finish. The twist? AB's maiden IPL ton was not in RCB red but in Delhi blue, clinching a nine-run victory over a formidable Chennai Super Kings.
Batting first, Delhi Daredevils struggled early as Gautam Gambhir fell on the first ball, and Virender Sehwag quickly followed, leaving them at 8 for 2. A hush fell over the crowd, tempting many to turn off the telly. Then came a shift—Tillakaratne Dilshan entered with determination, and AB de Villiers supported him.
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Dilshan blazed past boundaries like a train, while de Villiers focused on singles. Dilshan's fifty came off just 24 balls with 7 fours and 2 sixes, but he was dismissed for 50 off 27 after catching a full toss straight to cover.
Now it was AB's turn to take the reins. At 76 for 3, Delhi still looked light. He reached his fifty from 35 balls—calm, measured, precise. But fate threw him a lifeline just when the run rate threatened to drop below-boiling point. A sitter was spilt by Albie Morkel. One ball later, chaos erupted.
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The gears shifted. In the blink of an eye, de Villiers flicked, cut, and lofted into a frenzy. His second fifty came in just 19 deliveries. Flintoff, usually the enforcer, was taken to the cleaners—20 runs off four consecutive balls, including two towering sixes that vanished into Durban's twilight.
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By the time the dust settled, de Villiers stood unbeaten on 105 from 54 balls, with 5 fours and 6 sixes. Delhi finished with 189 for 5. That total? The highest in IPL 2009 at the time.
Chennai Super Kings fought back. Parthiv Patel started steadily, but Matthew Hayden exploded, reaching fifty in just 22 balls, making 190 seem achievable. However, Pradeep Sangwan had other ideas.
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He induced Parthiv into a loose drive and got Hayden out for 57 off 27 balls. Despite this, CSK was 106 for 2 at halftime. Daniel Vettori entered calmly, dismissing MS Dhoni caught behind and taking Badrinath's wicket later. His spell of 4-0-29-2 changed the game.
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Suresh Raina tried to keep CSK afloat—his 41 off 27 kept the run-rate within touching distance. He found a boundary nearly every over, pulling and driving with ease. But as pressure mounted, he sent a full toss from Sangwan straight to long-on. That wicket swung momentum.
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Still, with 42 needed from 30 balls and Flintoff at the crease, CSK weren't out of it. But Nehra returned with a peach, forcing Freddie to hole out to long-off. The match twisted again. Manpreet Gony smashed a six. Joginder Sharma ran a frantic two. The equation dropped to 24 off 12.
Warner made a crucial play, throwing from the deep to run out Gony, while Joginder and Balaji quickly followed. Chennai fell from 175 for 6 to 180 for 9. Delhi won by 9 runs in a thrilling match that tested nerves.
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T20s highlight moments, missed chances, and momentum, not just power. AB de Villiers earned Player of the Match for scoring a century and crafting a memorable performance that secured Delhi's one of the most significant IPL wins at the time.
