Explore the legacy of African Cricketers of all Time icons. From Jacques Kallis to Dale Steyn, discover the top 5 players who defined excellence and left an indelible mark on the game.
5. Hashim Amla
Hashim Amla is one of the greatest batsmen the world has seen. His calmness and thinking abilities on the pitch are praised by many legends. Amla loves breaking records and has quite a few to his name.
Amla is the fastest batsman to score 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, and 7000 ODI runs. Dominating the limited format by himself. He also became the fastest batsman to reach 27 ODI centuries. He ended his ODI career with 27 centuries and 8,113 runs to his name
Talking about his abilities in the Test, then he has scored South Africa’s highest individual score of 311 runs which stand unbroken. Amla is 3rd on the list of most runs for the Proteas in all formats. He has scored 18,553 runs in his career.
4. AB de Villiers
Mr 360 came conquered and left an everlasting admiration from the cricketing world. De Villiers is known for his style, his ability to hit the ball to every corner of the park and bring opponents to their knees.
De Villiers is one of the best-limited overs batsmen the world has seen. He is a 3-time ICC ODI player of the year winner. He also holds the record for the fastest hundred in ODI cricket, when he smashed a 100 off 31 balls.
De Villiers has scored 9,577 ODI runs and somewhere these stats have overshadowed his performances in red-ball cricket. He has smashed 8,776 test runs with an average of 50.66 which makes him one of the few batsmen to have above 50 averages in both formats.
De Villiers has scored 19,864 runs in all formats which makes him the 2nd highest run-scorer in Protea’s history.
3. Dale Steyn
Dale Steyn is considered the best fast bowler of this generation and his stats say the same. He along with stumps has broken a lot of records as well. He was the number 1 bowler statistically for 263 weeks.
Steyn has dominated test cricket. Hence, he is regarded as the supreme force. Steyn has picked 439 Test wickets in just 93 matches. Steyn is South Africa’s highest wicket-taker in Test cricket.
In all the formats Steyn has picked up He has been awarded 697 wickets in all formats and is South Africa’s 2nd highest wicket-taker.
2. Shaun Pollock
Shaun Pollock came around the scene when South Africa’s bowling lineup was led by Allan Donald. He came and made a frightening duo with the legend and then eventually surpassed his record to become Proteas best bowler ever.
Pollack was chosen as the Wisden cricketer of the year for 2013.
1. Jacques Kallis
Jacques Kallis is every cricketer’s dream. He is what a true and complete rounder means. There are 3 types of All-rounders, Batting All-rounders who can bowl, Bowling all-rounders who can bat, and Jacques Kallis who can do both equally well.
Kallis is not considered but is in fact ‘The ‘ best all-rounder since cricket was invented. He is the only player in history to score 10,000 runs and take 250 wickets in ODI as well as the Tests.
He was the player of the tournament in South Africa’s sole ICC trophy the ICC Champions Trophy in 1998.
Kallis has scored over 24,000 Runs internationally and taken over 500 wickets. He is the only cricketer in the world to do so. He is South Africa’s leading run-scorer in Test, ODI, and across all formats as well.
