AB de Villiers hits quick century as South Africa Champions defeat Australia

Match Details

South Africa Champions defeated Australia Champions by eight wickets in the ninth match of the World Championship of Legends 2026 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday. Australia set a target of 210 runs after winning the toss and batting first, scoring 209 runs for five wickets.

Batting Performance

DArcy Short scored 66 runs from 25 balls with seven fours and five sixes for Australia, while captain David Warner added 48 runs from 37 balls. Joe Burns remained not out on 38 runs and Jonathan Wells finished not out on 23 runs. Hardus Viljoen took three wickets for South Africa, while Marchant de Lange and spinner Imran Tahir claimed one wicket each.

Run Chase

South Africa chased down the 210-run target in just 15.4 overs, with 26 balls to spare. Captain AB de Villiers scored an unbeaten 111 runs from 40 balls, hitting 11 sixes and six fours, and reaching his century in 37 balls. Opening batsman Richard Levi contributed 62 runs from 29 balls with five sixes and three fours. De Villiers and Levi shared a 127-run partnership for the second wicket. Jean-Paul Duminy remained not out on 27 runs, and Kane Richardson took two wickets for Australia. De Villiers was named player of the match.

Context

Legends leagues bring back retired international cricket stars to compete in shorter T20 formats in front of global crowds. Sharjah is a historic cricket venue known for high-scoring matches and passionate fan support across the Middle East.